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HISTORICAL SKETCHES 



OF 



BLUEHILL, MAINE, 



BY 



R. G. F. CANDAGE, BKOOKLINE, MASS. 



PRINTED FOR THE 



BLUEHILL HISTORICAL SOCIETY, 



ELLSWORTH, MAINE: 

HANCOCK COITNTY PUBLISHING COMPA.NY, PRINTERS. 
1905. 



/ 



HISTORICAL SKETCHES 



OK "^ '' 



BLUEHILL, MAINE, 



BY 



R. G. F. CANDAGE, BROOKLINE, MASS. 



PRINTED FOR THE 



BLUEHILL HISTOKICAL SOCIETY. 



ELLSWORTH, MAINE : 

HANCOCK COUNTY PUBLISHING COMPANY, PHINTERS. 

1906. 



Aulior 
(Person) 

22 0':j 



HISTOIIIGAL SKETCHES OF BLUEHILL, ME. 



MASSACHUSETTS ARCHIVES, ffTATE HOUSE, 
BOSTON. 

Haverhill, Jany, ye 6th, 1762. 
To Meaam. David Mamh, Enoch Bartlett, 

Jamei McHard James Duncan Capt. 

Edmond Moora, Capt. Peter Parker, 

Dudley Carleton, Benj. Ilarrod. 

We the subscribers being desirious of 
settling some of the Land upon the Sea 
Coasts or Rivers between the Laud bo- 
longing to the Heirs of the Late Honour- 
able Brigadier General Waldo and the 
Uivcr Passamaqade or St. Croix, desire our 
names may be carryed to the Great and 
Gcnerall Court at their next Session with 
a Petition which we desire you'll please 
draw and Lay before the same for Lands 
within said Limmits for the purpose afore- 
said: 

William Fairfield, Benjamin Clements, 
James Duncan, jr., Jonathan Buck, David 
Remmick, John Dow, jr., Isaac Bradley, 
Da\ id Marsh, jr., John Dow tcrsus, John 
Jonslon, Nathaniel Rolf, Nathaniel Jon- 
ston, Jesse Jonston, Thomas Jonston, 
Caleb Jonston, Daniell Jonston, Moses 
Marsh, William Lampson, Tristram 
Knight, John Knight, jr., Oliver Knight, 
Charles Maddock, Josiah Fulsom, Samuel 
Little, William Townsend, Joshua Saw- 
yer, Benjamin Moores, Samuell Clements, 
Enoch Noyes, Peter Clements, Jonathan 
Kimball, William McHard, Edmond Her- 
riman, Daniel Hill, Jeremiah Parker, Jon- 
athan Kimball, jr., James Sawj'er, Jo- 
seph Hadley, John Mills, Cutten Marsh, 
James Mc Hard, jr., Enoch Badger, Maxey 
Hasseltine, John Hasseltine, Philip Clem- 
ents, John Moody, John Eaton, John 
Hazen, Benj'n Kimball, Elisha Jonston, 
Moses Hazen, John Ayres, Benj'n Pettin- 
gall, Ebenezer Hale, John Woodm«n, 
Robert Hale, Moses Moose, Moses Swazcy, 
James Winn, Daniel Poor, Amiruhamah 
Moors, Samuel Plummer, Kelly Plummer, 
Jonathan Poor, William Marshal, Moses 
Kelly, Josiah Herriman, Daniel Poor, jr., 
Stephen Coffin, Peter Johnson, Thomas 
West, Peter Morse, jr., Jacob Sayer, 
Ebenezer Mudgit, William Page, Peter 
Herriman, Joshua Howard, Moses Mudgit, 
MosfB Bartlett, Asael Herriman, Lewis 



Page, Hanes Jonston, Samuel Robie, Ed- 
ward Sayer, William Page, Nathaniel 
Bartlett, Simeon Goodwin, Joseph Sayer, 
Thomas Whitaker, John Goodwin, Jacob 
Bayley, Joseph Pilsbury, Benj'n Moores, 
John Goodwin, jr., Epraim Bayley, Benj'n 
Pilsbury, Moses Little, Edmon Morse, 
Joshua Bayley, James Woodward, Stephen 
Little, Jacob Morse, John Bayley, Theoph- 
ilus Eaton, Moses Chase, John Hazen, jr., 
Epraim Noyes, Ezekiel Eaton, James 
Simonds. James Bricket, Joel Herriman, 
Samuell Souther, Samuell Bayley, James 
Cook, Benj'n Eaton, Jonathan Webster, 
jr, Andrew Frink, Ezekiel Belknap, James 
Parker, James Clemens, Peter Page, James 
King, Samuell Ayres, Samuell Morrison, 
Ezekiel Wilson, Ebenezer Eaton, Mark 
Emerson, Joseph Johnson, Timothy 
Smith, Jacob Ayres, Ammy Haynes, 
Samuel George, John Pell, Samuel Trask, 
Asa Herriman, John Farnam, Evan Jones, 
Joseph Hanes, Barnard Kimball, John 
MuUiakin, Wilks West, Joseph Jilhngs, 
David Pattangal, Richard Ayer, Nathaniel 
Burpey, Ebenezer Kimball, Jonathan 
Nelson, David Hanes, Joseph Swasey, 
Richard Emerson, jr, Dudley Lad, 
Samuel Moores, Ezra Chase, David George, 
Timothy George, Enoch Marsh, Joseph 
Brown, Israel Morrill, Jacob Buck, Ebtn- 
ezer Porter, Nathan Baker, John Whiting, 
Jonathan B uck, jr, Samuell Duncan, 
Nathaniel Marsh, Epraim Chanlder, 
Samuel Johnson, Samuel Foster, Joshua 
Springer, Benj'n Gage, jr, Adam Dickey, 
Reuben Mills, Amos MuUiakin, Nathan- 
iel Gage, jr, John Barnet, Moses Day, 
Samuel Hides, Mathew Sorow, James 
Toad, Benj'n Day, Thomas Beverly, Isaac 
Brewster, William Easman, Jacob Kim- 
ball, David Beverly, James Patterson, 
David Stett, Samuell Cochran, Eliphalet 
Morton, Joseph Bell, Mathew Patten, 
John Gilmau, Samuell Johnson, Ebenezer 
Kimball, Peter Ewins, Robert Stuart, 
Ebenezer Day, Samuell Kimball, James 
Archer, John Cochran, Bezel iel Carleton, 
John Weir, Benj'n Cudworth, William 
Cochran, Dudley Carleton, jr., Matthew 
Thornton, William Wallis, Nathaniel 
Cochran, William Kimball, John Mc- 



HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF BLUEHILL, MAINE. 



Laughlin, Samuell Allison, James Cochran, 
Stephen Knight, John Duncan, William 
Duncan, George Duncan ter's, William 
Blair, George Duncan, jr., William Dun- 
can, jr., Abraham Duncan, Samuel 
Spaulding, Jonathan Gilmore, Joseph Mc- 
Cartney, John Duncan ter's, William 
Hopkins, James Gregg, Joseph Boyes, 
Timothy Walker, Hugh Ramsey, John 
Hogg, Abiel Freyer, Samuel Blodget, 
James Leister, John Stinson, Jeremiah 
H3sseltine, William Gooch, William Brad- 
ley, Simon Elliott, James Fowls, jr., Jona 
Bates, Daniel Page, Nathan Joans, Nath'l 
Frye, jr., John Bragg, Jabez Fisher, Nath'l 
Allen, George Duncan, Jas. Hall, Samuel 
Fisher, James Pecker, jr., William Green- 
leaf, Elias Joans, Jno. Baker, Ebenezer 
Herrick, William Maxwell, James Harrod, 
Baley Bartlet, Isaac Osgood, Simeon 
Parker, Jno. Prince, John Varnum, Josiah 
Snelling, Benja. Hammatt, Jos. Milliken, 
jr., "Wm. Frye, Joseph Stevens, Benj. 
Harrod, jr, Benja. Gushing, Nathan 
Parker, Jonathan Stevens, jr, Sam'l 
Hogg, John Freeman, Peter Parker, jr, 
Samuel Chickering, jr, James Richardson, 
John Endicott, Robert Parker, Joseph 
Frye, jr, Rufus Clap, Nath'l Brown, Benja. 
Stevens, Nicholas Holt, Eprai n Bound, 
Nath'l Brown, jr. Samuel Foster, Ward 
Noice, Samson Stoddard, John Hall, 
Jonathan Bigley, Benja Ingals, John 
Warren, jr., Jno. Cogswell, Theophilus 
Mansfield, Benja Bond, David Dexon, 
Isiac Parker, Robert Patten, William Mc- 
Hard, Joaas Harrington, Ebenezer Nichols, 
Jacob Tyler, Samuel Glover, Benja Kings- 
bury, Robert Duncan, Samuel Barnard, 
Thomas Bartlet, jr., Moses Daves, Nath'l 
Hall, Jonas Noyes, Jobe Gage, Joseph 
Parsons, Ebenezer Hall, Humphrey Bar- 
ret, William Fairfield, jr., Jon Marsh, jr., 
•Joshua Harrod, Wm. Watts, John Mico 
Wendell, Benja Mull Holmes, William 
Niokles, Charles Prescott, Andrew Black, 
Ebenezer Hough, Alexander Nickles, 
Ballinghara Watts, Jamas Erving, George 
Duncan, jr., John Duncan, jr., John 
Dammar. 

PROVINCE OP THE MASSACHUSETTS BAY. 

To hi'i Exceilency Fmncis Barmird Esq. 
dipt. Geiil. and Uommauder in Ciii^f 
of .s lid Piovince to the Honourable- his 
Majesties Council and therepresenta- 
tioes in Gen . Court asstmbted at Bos- 
ton Jany i:uh 1762. 



The petitioners of the Subscribers here- 
unto on behalf of themselves and associ- 
ates whose names are contained in the 
several lists accompanying this Petition 
Humbly Sheweth. 

That your Petitioners and Associates 
who by far are the greatest part of them 
Persons Brought up to Husbandry and 
not having lauds sufficient for themselves 
and sons -who are also Husbandmen- 
have been put upon the enquiry for wild- 
erness lands to Exercise their calling 
upon- and that in the course of their 
Enquiry they have been lately inform'd 
that there is a considerable Tract of 
of Unaporopriated Wilderness Lands and 
Islands lying between the Province of 
Nova Scotia and that part of this Province 
called Province of Main of which this 
Government have the Inspection with the 
Power of granting the same- sending 
home such grants for his Majesties ap- 
probation 

And as your Petitioners and Associates 
apprehend the settling said Lands or Is- 
land would be agreeable to his Majesty — 
your Excellency and Honours and En- 
gage many persons to become settlers 
there that would otherwise go out of the 
Province They Humbly pray you will 
please to grant them such a Quantity 
thereof as you may judge proper for such 
a number of persons as your Petitioners 
and Associates consist of Viz: 380, 
with LiDerty of viewing and reconoiter- 
in^ tha same — and to Plan and 
Pitch upon such Tract or Tracts or so 
much of it as they shall be allowed and 
find suitable for their purpose in some 
place or places oi the Sea Coast, Rivers or 
Island part between the River S . Croix or 
Passaraaquoddy-and land near r'enobscot 
river b longing to the Heirs of Brig'dr 
Gen'l Waldo or of said Islands on the 
Coast, and return to your Excellency and 
Honor a Plan or Plans of the sane setting 
forth and showing the Bounds and Ex- 
tent, in saeh time as you may see fit to 
order them. 

But inasmuch as the lands prayed for 
are at a considerable Distance from the 
respectiv'e homes of your PetiLioners and 
Associates, and the preparing ^labitations 
there and rransportating themselves and 
and Familys to tn^m, will be attended 
with consiierable difficulty a.ii expense, 
your Petitioners for themselves and Asso- 



HTSTOniCAL SKETCHES OF BLUEHILL, MAINE. 



5 



ciate further Pray your Excellency and 
Honor will please to Grant Time Propor- 
tionable to those things for fulfilling such 
conditions as you may sae tit to Injoin 
them in cas3 you should st-e cause to grant 
their request and as in Duty bound will 
ever Pray. 
(Si,'ned) David Marsh, 

Enoch Baktlictt, 
James McIIard, 
Jamks Duncan, 

EUMLND Moo RES, 

DfULEV Carleton, 
Peter Parker, 
Benj'n Harrod. 

in the house of representatives 

FEB. 20, 1762 

Voted that the Petition of David Marsh, 
Enoch Bartlet, James McIIard, James 
Duncan, Peter Parker, Edmund Moses, 
Dudley Carleton, Benjamin Harrord, and 
three hundred and tifty-two others, their 
Associates, be so far granted, as that there 
be and is hereby granted unto Ilim, the 
said David Marsh and his associates here- 
in named. Viz: their Heirs and Assigns 
forever as Tenants in common, six town- 
ships of Land, each to consist of the quan- 
tity of six miles square, of tha unappro- 
priated Lands of this Province, between 
the River Penobscot and the River St. 
Croix; to be laid out in as regular and 
contiguous a manner as he Land will ad- 
mit of: That no Township be more than 
six miles on the Sea Coast, or on Penob- 
scot or other Rivers. That they return a 
Plan or Plans of the same (taken by a 
Surveyor and Chainraan on Oath) to this 
Court for further conflrmation, on or be- 
fore the last Day of July next: That they 
within SIX years after they shall obtain his 
Mijesty's approbation of thi:i grant (un- 
less prevented by war) settle each Town- 
ship with sixty good Protestant Families, 
and build sixty Houses, none to be less 
than Eighteen Feet Square, and Seven 
Feet Stud; and clear and cultivate five 
acres of Land on each Share fit for Tillage 
or Mowing; and that they build in each 
Township a suitable Meeting-house for 
the public worship of God, and Settle a 
Learned Protestant Minister, and make 
Provision for his comfortable and honour- 
able Support; and that in each Township 
there be reserved and appropriated four 
whol Rights or Shares in the Division of 



the Land (accounting one sixty- fourth 
Part a share) for the following Purposes, 
Viz: one for the first settled or ordained 
Minister, his Heirs and Assigns forever; 
one for tha use of the Minister, one 
to and for the use of Harvard College 
in Cambridge, and one for the use of a 
school forever; and if any of the Grantees 
or Proprietors of any or each of said 
Townships respectively, shall neglect 
within the Terra of six years as before 
mentioned to do and perform according to 
the several Articles respecting the Settle- 
ment of his Right or Share as hereby 
enjoyed his whole Right or Share Shall be 
entirely forfeited and enure to the Use of 
this Province. 

Provided nevertheless, the Grant of the 
above Lands is to become void and of none 
effect unless the Grantees do obtain his 
Majesty's Confirmation of the Same in 
eighteen months from thisTime. 

And be it further Ordered as a Condition 
of the Grant aforesaid That each Grantee 
give a Bond to the Treasurer of this Prov- 
ince for the Time being, and to his suc- 
cessors in said off, for the Sum of Fifty 
Pounds for th? Us3 of this Province, con- 
ditioned for the faithful Performance of 
the Duties required according to the Tenor 
of the Grants aforesaid, and that a Com- 
mittee or Committees be appointed by this 
Court to take said Bonds accordingly. 

And further that said Committee be em- 
powered to admit others as Grantees, in 
ye room of such Persons contained in ye 
Lists aforesaid, who shall neglect to 
appear by themselves or others in their 
Behalf, to give Bonds as such Time as ye 
Committee shall appoint. 

Sent up fo' Concurrence. 

(Signed) James Otis, Speaker. 

In Council March 2, 1762. 

Read and Concurred Consented to 

(Signed) A. Oliver, Sec'y. 

Fra. Bernard. 
(Names attached to the act.) 

Enoch Bartlet, Wm. Fairfield, Thomas 
Johnston, James M-^Hard, James Duncan, 
jr., (^aleb Johnston, James Duncan, Jona 
Buck, Oliver Knight, Peter Parker, David 
Remmick, John Knight, jr., Edmund 
Moores, David Marsh, jr., Enoch Noj'es, 
Dudley Carleton, John Johnston, Samuel 
Little, Benjamin Harrod, Jesse Johnston, 
Joshua Sawy'^r, Jon'n Kimball, Peter 
Clements, James Sawyer, Philip Clements, 



6 



HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF BLUEHILL, MAINE. 



Benj'n Pettingall, John Ayer^, Jeremiah 
Parker, Cutten Marsh, John Woodman, 
Benj'n Clemens, Enoch Badger, Moses 
Swasey, Isaac Snow, Amiruhamah Moores, 
Daniel Poor, John Dow, jr., John Moody, 
Jon'n Poor, Isaac Bradley, John Eaton, 
Daniel Poor, jr., John Dow, jr., Elias 
Johnston, Moses Hetley, Nath'l Rolfe, 
Nathaniel Bartlet, Stephen Cotfin, Nath'l 
Johnston, Thomas Whitaker, Thomas 
West, Moses Marsh, Daniel Bartlet, Wil- 
liam Page, William Lampson, Jacob 
Bayley, Asael Herriman, Daniel John- 
son, Ephraim Bayley, Peter Herriman, 
Will'm Townsend, Joshua Bayley, Moses 
Bartlet, Charles Haddock, Edmund Morse, 
Lewis Page, Josiah Fulsom, Jacob Morse, 
William Page, Edmund Herriman, The- 
ophilus Eaton, Samuel Robie, Benj'n 
Moores, Ezekiel Eaton, Joseph Hadley, 
Sam'l Clements, Benj'n Kimball, Maxey 
Heseltine, Jas. McHard, jr., Jon'n Kim- 
ball jr., John Hesseltine, William Mc- 
Hard, John Mills, William Marshall, 
Daniel Hills, Moses Morse, John Hazen, 
Moses Hazen, John Hazen, jr., James 
Simonds, Ebenez'^r Hale, James Bricket, 
Joel Harriman, Robert Hale, Samuel Bay- 
ley, Samuel Souther, James Winn, James 
Cook, Benjamin Eaton, Alpheus Goodwin, 
William Cook, Jonathan Eaton, Samuel 
Plummer, Jon'n Webster, jr., Andrew 
Frink, Kelly Plummer, Samuel Ayers, Eze- 
kiel Belknap, Josiah Herriman, James 
Pecker, James Clemens, Peter Johnson, 
Samuel Morrison, Peter Page, Jacob Sayer, 
Samuel Ayers tert's, James King, Peter 
Morse jr, Ezekiel Wilson, Ebenezer Eaton, 
Ebenezer Mudget, Mark Emerson, Ammy 
Hanes, Joshua Howard, Joseph Johnston, 
Samuel George, Moses Mudget, Jacob 
Ayers, Timothy Smith, Hanes Johnston, 
John Varnum, John Pell, Edmund Sayer, 
Asa Herriman, Samuel Trask, Joseph 
Sayer, John Mulliken, Barnard Kimball, 
Simeon Goodwin, Joseph Tillings, Joseph 
Hanes, John Goodwin, Wilks West, Evan 
Jones, Joseph Pilsbury, David Pettengall, 
Richard Ayera, Benjamin Pilsbury, Na- 
thaniel Burpey, Ebenezer Kimball, Benj'n 
Morse, Joseph Swazey, Rich'd Emer- 
son, jr, James Woodward, Ezra Chase, 
David Hanes, Asa Heath, David George, 
Jonathan Nelson, Moses Little, Israel Mer- 
rill, Dudley Lad, Stephen Little, Timothy 
George, Samuel Moores, John Bayley, 
Josiah Brown, Enoch Marsh, Ephraim 



Noyes, Jacob Buck, Ebenezer Porter, 
Joshua Springer, Jonathan Buck, jr., 
Simuel Duncan, Nathl Marsh, John 
Whiting, Samuel Foster, Moses Chise, 
Nathan Baker, Ephraim Chandler, Sam- 
uel' Johnston, Reuben Mills, Benjamin 
Gage, jr., Jonathan Gilmore, George 
Duncan, ye 4th, Nathl Gage, jr., William 
Blair, John Bell, Amos Milliken, Samuel 
Allison, Adam Dickey, Moses Day, 
Timothy Walker, John Barnet, Benjamin 
Day, Hugh Ramsey, Samuel Hides, Wil- 
liam Easman, John Hogg, Matthew 
Storow, Jacob Kimball, Daniel Spaulding, 
Thomas Beverly, Eliphalet Martin, Wil- 
liam Hopkins, David Beverly, Samuel 
Johnston, James Gregg, James Tood, 
Ebenezer Kimball, Joseph Boyes, Isaac 
Brewster, Samuel Kimball, Jeremiah 
Hesseltine, James Patterson, Ebenezer 
Day, William Bradley, Matthew Patten, 
Daniel Jaques, Daniel Page, Joseph Bell, 
Bezaliel Carlton, Jabez Fisher, Peter Ewins 
Dudley Carlton, jr., Jeremiah Fisher, 
James Achen, William Kimball, Samuel 
Fisher, Adam Wier, Stephen Knight, 
James Pecker, jr., John Wier, John Dun- 
can, Eben'r Herrick, David Stell, George 
Duncan, Isaac Osgood, Samuel Cociiran, 
William Duncan, Bayley Bartlet, John 
Gilman, Will'm Duncan, jr., Will'm 
Greenleaf, Robert Stewart, George Duncan 
tert's, William Maxwell, John Cochran, 
Abraham Duncan, Simeon Parker, 
Benjamin Cudworth, John Duncan tert's, 
John Varnum, William Cochran, Samuel 
Bell, Wm. Torge, Nath'l Cochran, Alex- 
ander Wilson, Joseph Stevens, Matthew 
Thornton, James Wilson, Nathan Parker, 
William Wallis, John Otterson, Peter 
Parker, jr., John McLaughlin, Samuel 
Fisher, John Farnum, jr., James Cochran, 
John Duncan, 4th, Benj'n Harrod, 
jr., Joseph McCartney, David Storow, 
Jonathan Stevens, James Milliken, jr., 
William Nickells, Robert Parker, Benj'n 
Cushing, Alex'r Nickells, Joseph Fyre, jr., 
Sam'l Hogg, Andrew Black, Sam'l Chick- 
ering, John Truman, Benj. Mull. Holmes, 
Jn'o Chickering, jr., James Richardson, 
Charles Prescott, David Nevens, Rufus 
Clap, John Mico Wardell, Benj'n Stevens, 
Ephraim Bounds, Wm. Watts, Nicholas 
Holt, John Endicott, Edw'r Hough, Sam- 
uel Foster, Nath'l Brown, Bellingham 
Watts, Ward Naice, Nathl Brown, jr., 
James Erving, Abiel Frye, Sampson Stod- 



HI'^TORWAL SKETCriES OF BLUEHILL, MATN'^ 



dard, Qeor^o Duncan, jr., Samuel Blodget, 
John Warren, jr., John Duncan tort's, 
Jam3s L'-'St'.'r, Bonj'n Ju^jals, John Dura- 
mer, John Stinson, Isaac Parker, John 
Cogswell, jr., William <Jooch, Robert Pat- 
ten, Jonathan Bayley, Simeon Elliott, 
Jacob Tyler, David Doxon, Nathan Jones, 
Benj'n Kinijsbury, William McIIurd, jr., 
Ephraim Prevcr, Thomas Bartlct, jr., Sam- 
uel Glover, Nathl Ellen, Samuel Barnard, 
John Jlall, Elias Joans, Wm. Fairfield, jr., 
Theophilus Mansfl'ld, Jon'a Bates, 
John Marsh, jr., Benj. Bond, James 
Fowls, jr., Robert Duncan, Jonas Her- 
rington, Nathl Frye, jr., Mos:8 Davis, 
John Briggs, Jonas Noyes, George Duncan, 
Humphrey Barr -t, James Hall, Joshua 
Hurrod, John Baker, Eben'r Nicholls, 
James llarrod, Nathl Hall, John Prince, 
Eben'r Hall, Josiah Snelling, Jabez Gage, 
Benj'n Hammett, Joseph Parsons. 

MASSACHUSETTS ARCHIVES. 

Bluehill Bay, June 17th, 1784. 

This is to certify that John Peters, of 
the lown aforesaid this day was chose by 
the Inhabitants of this Town to represent 
the twin State of the Proprietors and 
Settlers on Said Township to the Commit- 
tee chosen by the General Court of the 
Massachusetts State to received and ex- 
amin the Claraes of Land in the County of 
Lincoln, &c., &c. 

Dule of Proprietors' Settlement. 

Joseph Wood, 1762; Nathan Parker, 
1764 ; Jonah Dodge, 1764; Jonathan Darl- 
ing, 1765; Peter Parker, jr., 1765; Nathan 
Parker, jr., 1765; Ezekiel Osgood, jr. ; 1765; 
Joseph Wood, jr., 176i5; Joshua Horton, 
1768; Benjamin Friend, 1774; John Dodge, 
1774; Ezekiel Osgood, 1774; Robert Parker, 
1774; Thomas Coggins, 1765; Elisha Dodge, 
1774; John Peters, jr., 176.5; Marble Par- 
ker, 17&1; Phineas Osgood, 1774; Obed 
Johnson, 1769; Jon'a Cla3-, 1769; Elizabeth 
Brown, widow, 1770; Peter Parker, 1765; 
Joshua Parker, 1765; Joseph Parker, 1765; 
John Roundy, 1762; Jos'a Titcomb, 1769; 
Joshua Titcomb, jr., 1767; Stephen Tit- 
comb, 1765; I>avid Carleton, 1765; Moses 
Carleton, 1765; Michael Carleton, 176.5; 
Samuel Parker, 1785; James Candage, 
1766; John Peters, 17&5; Nicholas 
Holt, 1765; John Osgood, 1765; 
Israel Wood, 1776; Daniel Osgood, 1776; 
Robert Haskell Wood, 1776; John Candige, 
1782; John liandall, 1768; Joseph Candige, 



1767; James Day, 1768; Thomas Carter, 
1776; N'ithun OHg.iod, 1776; Nicholas Holt, 
1775; John Roundy, jr., 1783; Josiah Cog- 
gin, 1782; Janu'8 Candige, jr., 1763; Chris- 
topher Osgood, 1771; Ebene'r Hinckley, 
1774; Jon'a D.trling, jr., 1776; Jon'a Day, 
176(5; Matthias Vi -lary, 1776; Susannah 
Hinckley, w id., 1766; Henry Carter, 1783; 
James Carter, 1781; Lydia Day, widow, 
17t><i; Nath'l Gushing, 1778; Jedediah Holt, 
1778; Joshua Horton, jr., 1782. 

Thirty-six of th3 above seven of them 
minors, all sons of Proprietors, who are 
on ye grounds except Steph. Titcomb, 
whose father has done ye duty on his 
right. 

No minor has his name. 
Captain Joseph Wood & Sons and John 
Roundy came and Settled at Bluehill bay 
before the land was either granted or 
layed out &c., Ac, &c." 
massacucj^etts archives, bluehill 

IN 1785. 
The Honourable Senate and House of Rep- 
re enlalivea In General Court Aa- 
aembli d. 

The Petition of the Proprietors now 
Resident in a Township called No. 5, on 
Bluehill Bay, in the County of Lincoln 
and Commonwealth of the Massachusetts, 
Humbly Showeth-That in the year 1762 
the Governor and Council and House of 
Representatives, then in General Court 
Assembled, made a formal Grant of six 
Townships to David Marsh and others, 
one of which Towns your Petitioners are 
Original Proprietors and Agreeable to said 
Qrent, we came into the wilderness upon 
the Incouragement thereby given in the 
years 17(53 and 1761, In order to fultill the 
conditions of said Grant, and accordingly 
have fully satisfied the conditions of said 
Grant except the settling of a Minister, 
and we have had twenty years quiet and 
Peaceable Possesssion, and further, after 
we had been Settled here some time the 
Grant not being confirmed by the King, 
the Governor and Council was pleased to 
Issue a Proclamation for the encourage- 
ment of such Inhabitants as had Settled 
In those Towns In order to fulfill the con- 
ditions of said Grant, viz.: In the year 
17(58 said Proclamation was Issued De- 
claring the Intention of the then Province 
of Massachusetts, to protect and defend 
the said Lands to the Proprietors sctled 
ander the said Grant, upon which wu 



8 



HISTOBICAL SKETCHES OF BLUE HILL, MAINE. 



went on with coura2;e, the Houses being 
built and the land Cleared, which was re- 
quired to fulfill the conditions of said 
Grant, and we find his Excellency the 
Governor and Council willing to assist us 
In everything that was reasonable, that 
Lay in their power to Promote the Set- 
tlement of the Wilderness Country, and 
as they Declared their Intention to De- 
fend us against all other claims to 
this Part of the Country, Especially 
that of the Earl of Sterling either by 
Patten or Grant from which we are suffi- 
ciently Defended by said Proclamation, 
we cannot possably suppose but that the 
true Intent both of said Grant and Proc- 
lamation were that Every Proprietor 
should enjoy his rights and Privileges 
without any other acknowledgement than 
the fulfilling the conditions of said grant, 
and furthermore your Excellency and 
Honours cannot be unacquainted with the 
great expense we have been at In Laying 
out these Townships, and the expense we 
have been at In trying to Procure the 
King's Approbation and likewise In ful- 
filling the conditions of said Grant -But 
perhaps this objection will be made by 
some who will say we have not an or- 
dained Minister, and therefore we have 
not the conditions of said Grant In every 
Particular, therefore we have forfited our 
rights to said Lands, Answer. It is true 
we have not an ordained Minister, but, we 
together with a class of People among us 
called Settlers have been at more expense 
than it would have been to have fullfilled 
the conditions of said grant In every Parti- 
cular, Provided his Majestyes Royal appro- 
bation had been obtained and the non- 
Kesident Proprietors had come and settled 
when we did. For we have built a Suit- 



able house for Public Worship and have 
hired Preaching Every Summer for Seven- 
teen years. Except In the time of the late 
war, and a school master every winter, 
Built Bridges, cleared and maintained 
Public Koads through the Town, all which 
expense has been Bourne by us and that 
class of People called settlers residing 
among us. 

Wherefore we trust that on a full ex- 
amination of the Matter it will appear to 
the Honourable Court that our title is 
good and Valid, therefore we Pray your 
Honours to Remit or Discharge us of that 
Part of the Thousand Pounds which is 
laid upon us by a Resolve of the Court 
Passed the 17th of March, 1785, or other- 
wise confirm us as your Honours In your 
Great Wisdom and regard to justice 
shall see fit— as in duty bound shall ever 
Pray. 
No. 5. December 31, 1785. 
(Signed) 

Thomas Coggin, 1 Right. 

Elisha Dodge, 1 Right. 

Samuel Darling, 1 Right. 

Peter Parker, jr., 2 Rights. 

Benj. Friend, 1 Right. 

Joshua Horton, 1 Right. 

Joseph Wood, 1 Right. 

James Candage, 1 Right. 

Dudley Carleton, 4 Rights. 

Peter Parker, 6 Rights. 

Nathan Parker, 2 Rights. 

Simeon Parker, 1 Right. 

Ezekiel Osgood, 2 Rights. 

Phineas Osgood, 1 Right. 

John Peters, 3 Rights. 

John Roundy, 1 Right. 

Wido. Elizabeth Brown, 1 Right. 

Robert Parker, 2 Rights. 

David Carleton, 1 Right. 



AN OUTLINE SKETCH OF THE SOUTHERN PART OF 
BLUE HILL, MAINE. 



ITS SETTLERS AND RESIDENTS BETWEEN THE SEDGWICK TOWN LINK AND TlIK IlKAU 
OF THE BAY, FROM HIBTORIC DATA, TRADITION AND MEMORY. 

By li, O. F. Candage {1905). 



From the record of the town's annual 
meeting held "March 6, 17(59", we learn 
that it was "Voted that Joseph Wood, 
Jonathan Darling and Robert Parker be a 
Committee to lay out Roads where they 
should think proper to convean the Town 
on this side of the Salt Pond." 

The yc^ar previous the town voted "For 
to clear a Rhode from here to Pronobscutt" 
and chose a committee consisting of Sam- 
uel Foster, Israel Wood, Robert Parker, 
Joseph Wood and John Roundy to attend 
to laying out said "Rhode". 

At the annual town meeting held "Mon- 
day, April 7, 1791, voted that the follow- 
ing Roads be recorded. Viz: — 
"1. The Road on the Neck. 
"2. The Road leading to the Tide Mills 
from the Main Road that leads to Mr. 
Carleton's. 

"3. The Road from the Head of Blue 
Hill Bay to Noice's Brook by Mr. Joseph 
Parker's. 

"4. The Road leading from Beech Hill 
by tlie Meeting house to the Head of Blue 
Hill Bay. 

"5. The Road leading to the old Penob- 
scot Road near Mr. Robert Wood's from 
the Head of Blue Hill Bay by Capt. 
Joshua Horton's." 

The foregoing extracts from the records 
fix the fact of the location of the first 
roads laid out and built in the town. 

For the purposes of this paper our in- 
vestigation and statements will neces- 
sarily chiefly be confined to the consider- 
ation of the places and residents along 
the roads designated above as the "road 
leading to the Tide Mills" and "the Main 
Road that leads to Mr. Carleton's" in one 
direction and to the Head of the Bay in 
the opposite direction. 
It appears by the records that there were 



four person who settled in the south part 
of the town by the uameof Carlcton, whose 
given names were Edward, Dudley, Moses 
and David, all from .\ndover, Mass., and 
evidently brothers. They built the mills 
tirst known as Carleton's mills, mentioned 
in the town records in 1770 for the first 
time when Dudley Carleton was elected a 
selectman, in 1771 was re-elected and in 
1772 was chosen one of a committee to 
keep the fish course clear at Carleton's 
mills. 

April 3, 1775, "Voted that the Inhabi- 
tants of the Town meet at the house of Mr. 
David Carleton the 2nd Monday in May to 
see Something abought making the hour 
Something better, at 8 o'clock in the 
morning. Meeting Ajourned to house and 
time aforesaid." Then follows this en- 
try: "The Disturbance Between Brittain 
and America Prevented the meeting' Ac- 
cording to Ajournment." "This Disturb- 
ance" probably was news of the battle of 
Lexington. 

March 28, 1776, David Carleton was 
chosen one of the committee of corre- 
spondence and in 1779 a surveyor of lum- 
ber. 

March 7, 1785, Moses Carleton was one of 
a committee of three "to hire a Preacher 
and Collect the Money to pay him." 

Edward Carleton was chosen a surveyor 
of lumber in 17S9, and in 1792 and 1793 one 
of a committee to keep the fish course 
clear. The fish course was at Carleton's 
mills, to provide a passage for alewives to 
the pond above, where they went to 8])awn 
At those mills also frost iish came to 
spawn about the time of Christmas, and 
were taken in great numbers. Fish were 
a valuable article of food for the settlers 
of the town, and care was taken that the 
alewives should not be obstructed in their 



10 



HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF BLUEHILL, MAINE. 



yearly visits to the fresh water ponds 
where they deposited their eggs and 
hatched their young. 

The writer well remembers the fish 
course spoken of, and that on certain days 
when "the fish were running" they could 
be taken under regulations made by the 
town, while on other days the people took 
fish unlawfully and subject to a fine. 

In 1795, Edward Carieton was chosen 
with others to superintend and inspect 
the fish course, fix the place for catching 
fish from Monday at sunrise until Wed- 
nesday at sunset. He was also allowed by 
vote of the town "three pence per light 
for 330 lights of sashes delivered for the 
Meeting house" and chosen to present the 
proposals to the church, by the town, for 
it to offer through a committee to Jonathan 
Fisher regarding his settlement, and that 
Mr. Carieton be desired to request the 
church by a committee to wait upon 
Jonathan Fisher, with the town's proposal 
for an exchange of the minister's lot and 
Mr. Carleton's lot, if he settles in the 
town. 

In 1797, "Voted that Major David 
Carieton have the consent of this town to 
bid upon the Pews as he shall please." 
This was for the sale of the pews of the 
new meeting house, and would indicate 
that Major Carieton had moved to Sedg- 
wick and without the vote as above would 
not have had the right to bid for the pews 
when they came up for sale. 

From the church records it is learned 
that David Carieton and Mary, his wife, 
owned the covenant and had baptised 
Molly Adams Coggeswell and Dudley, July 
4, 1784, by Rev. Seth Noble. 

Edward Carieton and Phebe, his wife, 
owned the covenant and had their daugh- 
ter Abigail Abbott baptised by Oliver 
Noble, Oct. 17, 1790. 

Moses Carieton and Mary his wife pre- 
sented the following children: 

Leonard, Oct. 17, 1790. Rev. Oliver 
Noble. 

Ebenezer, July 8, 1792. Rev. Peter 
Powers. 

Elizabeth, Aug. 22, 1794. Rev. Samuel 
Eaton. 

There is no record to show that Dudley 
Carieton was a member of the church at 
Blue Hill, that he had a family, or when 
and where he died. 

The Carletons were men of activity and 



business energy in the earlier years of the 
settlement of the town. They lived near- 
by their mills upon lands Later conveyed 
to Amos Allen and his sons, who also 
purchased from them the mills that were 
built and owned for many years by the 
Carletons. Just where stood the houses 
of David, Edward and Dudley Carieton, 
the writer has no means of definitely 
determining at this writing, but the house 
of Moses was standing in the writer's 
boyhood upon the site of the present 
house of the late Joseph Allen. It was a 
two-storj' structure in front and of one 
story in the rear, but what year it was 
built cannot now be stated, though 
probably shortly after the Carletons came 
to the locality from Andover. 

In the early years of 1800, the Carletons 
built a ship near the mills, called the 
"Juno", of which Dudley Carieton, 2nd, 
son of David, was master. She was 230 
tons, single deck, and a full-rigged ship, 
in which the father of the M-riter made a 
voyage to Liverpool, England, and back to 
Boston as one of her foremast hands. 

A number of other vessels have been 
built there in later years, and lumber 
from the mills, and wood from the landing 
have been scowed down the Salt pond, 
and passed out over the Fore Falls to form 
many cargoes shipped to western markets. 
It was no uncommon sight to see half a 
dozen or more vessels at anchor below the 
Falls receiving cargoes from Carletons or 
Allen's mills and other landings along the 
shores of the Salt pond, in the boyhood of 
the writer. 

Moses Carleton's family record is as fol- 
lows : 

1. Moses, born Jan. 10, 1785; married 
Nancy 

2. William, born Dec. 12, 1786; married 
Pamela Osgood. 

3. Leonard, born Jan. 30, 1789; married 
Sally 

4. Ebenezer, born March 27, 1791; mar- 
ried Polly Dorr, of Penobscot, Nov. 15, 
1815. 

5. Elizabeth, born (no date given.) 

6. Michael, born Oct. 26, 1795; a sailor 
preacher at Salem, Mass. 

7. Polly, born Nov. 22, 1797; never mar- 
ried; died Sept. 20, 1865. 

8. Parker, born April 7, 1800; died at 
Andover, Mass., Nov. 23, 1823. 



HISTOIilCAL S KETCH KS OF IILUEIIILL, MMXE. 



11 



9 Betsey, born Sept. 21, 1802; married 
Josiah Coff;;ins. 

10. Sukey, born Julj* -5, 1805; married 
Jonah Dodye. 

11. Samuel, born Jan. 11, 180S; never 
mirried; (iied Jan. 10, l&JJ. 

12. Phobe, born Dec. 2, 1810. , 
Moses Cnrli'ton, head of this family, 

died Oct. Iti38, a(?ed 79; Mary his widow, 
Auffust 20, IS-'jI, nijed 88 j'ears. 

Ebenezor Carleton, son of Moses, mar- 
ried Polly Dorr, of Penobscot, Nov. 15, 
1815, and settled on the west side of the 
First pond, where he live ! ns a farmer and 
brought up a family of children as fol- 
lows : 

1. Charlotte, born Feb. 14, ISlfi; marritd 
Capt. John Doui^lnss, of Brooksville. 

2. Kimball, born July 30, 1817. 

3. Susan, born April 10, 1819; died Jan. 
27, 1824. 

4. Abijjail, born April 16, 1821; married 
Simeon P. Tapley, of Brooksville. 

5. Elizabeth, born April 24, 1823; died 
August 13, 1825. 

6. Deborah, born April 19, 1825. 

7. Susan, born Aufjust 7, 1827. 

8. Michael, born Nov. 4, 1829. 

9. Lucinda, born Feb. 14, 1832. 

10. Charles, born June 9, 1835. 

The other sons of Moses Carleton set- 
tled elsewhere in the town, and the family 
of Major David Carleton removed to North 
Sedgwick. 

Amos Allen, born in Sedgwick, Oct. 3, 
1772. married Joanna Ilerrick, of Sedg- 
wick, Dec. 25, 1793, removed to Blue Hill 
in 1795, where he became owner of Carle- 
ton's mills and of the land and buildings 
taken up and improved by the Carletons. 
He was a miller, farmer, ship-owner, 
preacher and a representative to the Maine 
legislature in 1820-1-2-3, and in 1842, and a 
man of influence and force of character. 

When elected to the legislature of 1842, 
it was generally supposed that he favored 
a bridge across the Falls, and all in favor 
of that object voted for his election. A 
petition was sent to the legislature for a 
charter to build the bridge, and requests 
to Mr. Allen to present the petition and 
advocate the measure. 

The petition recited the convenience it 
would be to the i)eople residing in that 
part of Sedgwick, now Brooklin, and on 
the Neck, with the miles travel it would 
shorten for those on the Neck desirous of 



traveling to Blue Hill village, either on 
foot or by carriage or team of any kind by 
land. 

Great was the surprise felt by the friends 
of the measure and those who had made 
Mr. Allen's nomination and election sure, 
to find him arrayed against the charter 
openly, and by a sjx^ech that set the legis- 
lators roaring with laughter by the ridi- 
cule he heaped upon the whole subject. 

As reported in the Portland Ad ertiaer 
of that date, which the writer of this ar- 
ticle read at the time, he first said it would 
be a positive disadvantage to the ship- 
building interests of the Salt pond, which 
was great and promised to become 
greater, and would prove, if the charter 
were granted, a depression of values above 
said bridge. Then he turned his ridicule 
upon the interests of the petitioners upon 
the Neck, by saying, "they talk about the 
convenience it svould be for those having 
carriages to drive to the village!" "Car- 
riages", said he, "carriages and teams! 
The only carriage upon Bluehill Neck is 
Jerry Eaton's ox-cart, and the only team 
his oxen." 

The i^etitioners were incensed against 
him for that treatment of their case, and 
he never after went to the legislature. He 
died Jan. 28, 1855, aged 84 years. His chil- 
dren were : 

Hepzibah, born July 7, 1794; married 
Joseph Herrick, of Sedgwick. 

2. Amos, born Dec. 27, 1796; died Feb. 
14, 1802. 

3. Ebenezer, born Nov. 28, 1799; died 
June 19, 1819. 

4. Herrick, born Sept. 4, 1801; married 
Lydia Stover. 

5. Amos, born Jan. 6, 1804; married 
Polly Walker, of Brooksville. 

6. Joanna, born Dec. 16, 1805; married 
Seneca Parker. 

7. Joseph, born August 24, 1808; mar- 
ried Ist, Hannah Dodge, 2nd, Harriet N. 
Parker. 

8. Hulda H., born .Vpril 22, 1812; mar- 
ried Robert Wood Hinckley. 

9. Harriet, born .March 12, 1816; married 
1st, Jo9e|)h Cole, 2nd, John .\llen. 

10. Oeorge Stevens, born Sept. 14, 1818; 
married .Mary S. Osgood. 

11. Daniel Barden (adojjted), born Maj' 
17, 1822; married Mary E. .Vllen, of Sedg- 
wick. 

Amos Allen lived in a large two-story 



12 HISTOBICAL SKETCHES OF BLUEHILL, MAINE. 



house, built probably about the time he 
came from Sedgwick. After his death his 
son Amos lived in the homestead, and 
after him, his son David, making three 
generations to occupy it. Some ten or 
more years ago the old house took fire and 
was consumed. Upon its site another 
house has been erected, and is occupied by 
descendants of the first Allen at that place. 

Joseph Allen, son of the first Amos, was 
married to Hannah Dodge, of Sedgwick, 
Dec. 25, 1834, and set up housekeeping 
about that time in the old Moses Carleton 
house, which he occupied for some years, 
then pulled it down and built upon the 
site the house now standing there. Han- 
nah Dodge, his wife, died childless in , 

and in 1868 he married 2nd, Harriet N. 
Parker, by whom he had children. Mr. 
Allen died a few years ago. 

Herrick Alien married Lydia Stover 
Jan 25, 1831, and it is supposed that he 
buUt his house about that time, which 
still stands the nearest to the mill stream. 
His children were : 

1. Caroline Augusta, born Nov. 28, 1831; 
married R. G. W. Dodge. 

2. Frances Joan Parker, born June 14, 
1833. 

3. Augustine Melville, born June 1 
1835. 

4. Edward Wheelock, born June 24, 
1837. 

5. Ruby Maria, born Sept. 3, 1839. 

6. Harriet Elizabeth, born May 7, 1842; 
died April 29, 1847. 

7. Julia Maria, born August 11,1845; 
died July 14, 1863. 

8. Roscoe George, born Dec. 22, 1847. 
Herrick Allen, head of this family, died 

March 15, 1869. 

The Aliens owned all the land from the 
Sedgwick line to Long cove fronting upon 
the Salt pond, and stretching back there- 
from some distance into the interior. 
They were good farmers as well as mill 
and lumbermen. Daniel B., the adopted 
son of Amos, sr., built his house upon the 
eastern part of the land of his foster 
father previous to 1850, where he resided 
untU his death. The house, barn and out- 
buildings are all gone at this writing. He 
married Mary E. Allen, of Sedgwick, 
daughter of Nathan and Nancy Parker 
Allen, March 28, 1848. Their children 
were as follows : 



1. Edith Hinckley, born Sept. 14, 1848. 

2. Nancy Jane, born Dec. 29, 1850. 

3. Lillia Adelaide, born August 16, 1853. 

4. Nellie Maria, born Nov. 2, 1855. 

5. Daniel Edwin, born Feb. 2, 1862. 

6. David Benjamin, born Sept. 22, 1866. 
Amos Allen, sr., and his wife Joanna, 

were members of the Blue Hill Congrega- 
tional church, but in 1806 withdrew and 
joined the l.aptists, and were original 
members of the latter church at its organ- 
ization. He was licensed to preach, after 
which he was known as Elder Amos Allen. 
He preached for the Neck church and for 
the Baptist church at Brooksville. 

In those days the elders and ministers 
were accustomed to take wine and spirits 
on great occasions, and at other times 
when they felt like it. It is related of 
Elder Allen that while engaged to preach 
at Brooksville, he arose on Sunday morn- 
ing but not feeling well took a glass of 
rum on an empty stomach, which unfitted 
him to attend to his duties for that day. 
Later, being asked why he did not fill his 
engagement to preach on that Sunday, he 
frankly stated that the glass of rum over- 
powered him, and he thought it best to 
remain at home. The explanation was 
satisfactory to the church and all con- 
cerned. 

Beyond Allen's mills upon the main road 
stood a small house, in the boyhood days 
of the writer, occupied by a Mr. Closson 
and family. The house has been gone 
many years. Off the main road to the 
right was the home of Eliphalet Grindle 
and familj', and another not far distant 
from Grindle's was the house and home of 
a family by the name of Durgin. 

The Allen neighborhood was isolated 
from the rest of the people of the town; 
it was a community by itself, well known 
to the writer seventy years ago. 

Long Cove was the next place of im- 
portance northeast of the Allen settle- 
ment. Its importance consisted of being 
a landing to which were brought cord- 
wood and saw logs from the interior 
to be scowed to vessels loading be- 
low the falls with wood for Bos- 
ton and elsewhere, and for rafting and 
floating logs to the tide mills. Wood to 
the amount of hundreds of cords was 
hauled there each winter and piled upon 
the shore awaiting spring and summer to 
be forwarded to market. It was a busy 



HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF BLUE HILL, MAINE. 



13 



place for a portion o( the year, and pre- 
sented a picture of activity and enterprise. 

The cove extended a quarter of a mile or 
more above the highway bridge that 
crossed over it, and it was the head 
waters of the cove where a brook emptied 
into it that the boys frequented in the 
spring to catch smelts. 

Upon the rise of ground east of the cove 
in those days was the house on the north 
and barn on the south of the road of 
William VV. Gray. He was the son of 
Joshua Gray, of Sedgwick, and his wife 
was Lucy, daughter of Josiah Closson, of 
the same town. They had no children of 
their own, but adopted one or more. Mr. 
Gray was an industrious man, who gained 
a livelihood by farming, and by working 
at odd jobs for others. He and his wife 
have been dead a half century, his house 
and barn are gone, and his farm is now 
owned by a son of Daniel B. Allen. 

The next place north and easterly is 
what the boys called, sixty or seventy 
years ago, "Mackville". There lived 
Peter McFarland, a shoemaker of Scotih 
descent, who is said to have come from the 
city of New York, where he left a wife 
and several children, here to build a log 
cabin and make his abode prior to 1800. 
He married Elizabeth Carter by whom he 
had eight children, viz: 

1. Jonathan Fisher, born Oct. 12, 1803; 
married Prudence. 

2. Lydia, born Oct. 23, 1805. 

3. Peter, born July 14, 1807; married 
Lucy Day. 

4. Oliver Mann, born Nov. 20, 1810; 
married Lucretia Carter. 

5. Irene, born August 2, 1613; married 
William Staples, of Sedgwick. 

6. Alpbeus, born Feb. 22, 1817; married 
Rebekah Carter. 

7. Amos Allen, born Sept. 13, 1820; died 
In army at Ship Island, 1863. 

8. Rodney, born Jan. 6," 1824; married 
Margaret Cain. Kodney is the only one 
living at this date; be resides at Bar 
Harbor. 

Peter McFarland, sr., had a struggle to 
earn sufficient from his farm and shoe- 
maker's bench to bring up his large 
familj'. He was a man fond of grog, and 
a fiddler; his sons were fond of music and 
of song, indulging in both so far as their 
limited knowledge permitted. Kodney, 
the youngest son, beat the snare drum for 



the boy's military company of the neigh- 
borhood, of which the writer was cap- 
tain. With military hats made of paper 
adorned with tailfeathers of cock or hen, 
and with wooden guns and swords march- 
ing to the music of the "White Cockade" 
made by fife and drum, the boys were 
ready to parade whenever opportunity 
offered, and were proud of their warlike 
mimicry. 

Mr. McFarland, sr., played his fiddle for 
dances, having a series of old Scotch tunes, 
including the "Scolding Wife", "The Girl 
I Left Behind Me", "High Betty Martin" 
and the like, which'he played and charmed 
the boys of those days. 

He and all his family, save one, "have 
joined the great silent majority". Two of 
his sons, Alpheus and Amos, and a grand- 
son, Ebenezer, son of Peter, jr., were sol- 
diers in the army for the preservation of 
the Union in the war of the Rebellion. 

After the death of the heads of the 
family, the marriage of the children, and 
the removal of them from the haunts 
of their childhood, the (place was owned 
for a number of years by Giles Johnson 
Grindle, and occupied by him and his 
family. The land stretched from William 
W. Gra}''s to Mother Bush Brook with a 
shore line upon the Salt Pond. The build- 
ings are gone at this writing, and the land 
is owned and cultivated by a son of the 
late Daniel B. Allen. 

Mother Bush Brook, after dark, was a 
place to be shunned by lone boys, for fear 
they might see the ghost of Benjamin 
Friend, whom tradition said haunted that 
spot. The "Ghost of Mother Bush Brook" 
was described in verse some years ago by 
the writer, and requires no further notice 
here. 

From that brook onlto the crown of the 
Coggin hill was a part of the rough stage 
road between Sedgwick and Blue Hill, 
wooded on both sides, and a lonely way, 
six or seven decades ago. From the brow 
of the Coggin hill one looked down upon 
the Tide Mills or Falls district, where the 
settlement of the town began .\pril 7, 1762. 
Beyond rises Blue Hill mountain in all its 
grandeur, with Newbury Nock, Schoodic 
and Mt. I>esert hills on the right, the 
sparkling waters of the baj', with Long 
Island nearer at hand, the Falls, the is- 
land where Wood and Roundy built their 
log cabins, and with the tide mills, pond. 



14 



HJSTOBICJL SKETCHES OF BLUE HILL, MAINE. 



etc., in the foreground. All these the 
writer sees engraven upon the tablets of 
his ii.emory as he saw them from that 
spot more than seventy years ago, when 
he was a boy of the neighborhood, though 
nearly three score years have gone by 
since that was his home. 

THE TIDE MILL NEIGHBORHOOD, 
began at the Coggin lot and extended to 
Bragdon's brook and just beyond, where 
the schoolhouse stood in which the writer 
first learned to lisp his "A B C's." 

The Coggin lot was the one taken up by 
Thomas Coggin, who came to it from 
Beverly, Mass., with his family in 1765. 
Here he built his humble abode and re- 
sided the first years of his life in town- 
just how many the record does not show. 
He was born Feb. 14,1731; married Lydia 
Obear Feb., 1755. He died Feb. 11, 1821, 
aged eighty-nine years; she died Oct. 22, 
1800. 

He and his wife were baptized by Oliver 
Noble and taken into th3 church at the 
Falls .June 13, 1873, and their son Samuel, 
and Molly his wife, were baptized by Rev. 
William Lyons and became members of 
the church August 2, 1791. 

The children of Thomas and Lydia 
(Abear) Coggin were: 

I. Hezekiah, born April 3, 1756. 

n. Molly, born Nov. 17, 1758; married 
Robert Haskell Wood Dec. 15, 1782. 

HI. Lydia, born July 19, 1763; died May 
1, 1791. 

IV. Josiah, born Nov. 29, 1764; married 
Molly Pecker, April 19, 1795; she was born 
Sept. 19, 1773; died July, 1853; he died in 
the South. Their children were : 

1. Hannah Russell, born Nov. 22, 1795; 
married George Clay Jan. 20, 1817; she 
died Dec. 23, 1840. 

2. Josiah, born Jan. 16, 1797; married 
Betsey Carleton; he died — —no date. 

V. Samuel, born July 19, 1768; married 
Mary Horton Oct. 2, 1786; he died Sept. 13, 
1843 aged 77 years. Children : 

1. Samuel, born April 1, 1787; married 
Rebecca Cross. 

2, Mary, born March 16, 1789; married 
Lewis H. Green. 

VI. Elizabeth, born Jan. 16, 1773; mar- 
ried Nathan Arnold; died July 20, 1819. 

The first remembrance the writer has of 
the "Coggin lot" was when Capt. Isaac 
Merrill built the house now standing in 
1831. and the barn a year after. Capt. 



Merrill was the son of Caleb and Betsey 
(Candage) (Day) Merrill, widow of James 
Day; born May 5, 1801. He was a sea 
captain, who married Louisa Clough, 
daughter of Asa and Abigail (Pecker) 
Clough, August 28, 1831; she was born 
Sept. 27, 1811; died August 22, 1S47 leaving 
children as follows: 

1. Caroline Carr, born Oct 20, 1832. 

2. Juliet M., born Oct. 12, 1834. 

3. William Horace, born Feb. 22, 1836. 

4. Parris Granville, born Jan. 28, 1839. 

5. Mary Louisa, born Dec. 5, 1841. 

6. Abby Pecker, born Jan. 9, 1844. 
Capt. M M-rill married 2nd Joanna S. 

HinckLy July 11, 1851, to whom was born 
a son, 7, Frank Pearl Wallace, March 10, 
1855. Capt. Merrill sold his place and 
removed to the village, where he died Dec. 
18, ISSl, aged 77 years, 7 mon hs, 13 days. 
Since the days of Capt. Merrill, the 
"Coggin lot" has been owned and occupied 
by a Mr. Coaary and others. 

The next house and place was that of 
James Candage, who built the house that 
was standing until a few years ago, some- 
where about 1803. James Candage was 
the son of James and Elizabeth Candage, 
who settled upon the Neck in 1766 from 
Beverly, ilass., born May 9, 1753; married 
Hannah, daughter of John Roundy, April 
13, 1775; she was born at Beverly, August 
4, 1753; died March 12, 1851, aged 97 years, 
7 months, 8 days; he died Jan. 12, 1819, 
aged 65 years and 8 months. Their chil- 
dren were: 

I. Elizabeth, born Sept. 16, 1775; mar- 
ried Samuel Morse. 

H. Samuel Roundy, born Jan. 15, 1781; 
married Phebe Ware (Parker), widow of 
William Walker. 

in. Gideon, born August 18, 1783; mar- 
ried Sarah Stiuson. 

IV. Sarah, born Jan. 4, 1786; died March 
14, 1844. 

V. James, born May 1, 1788; died 
August 1, 1798. 

VI. Azor, born April 8, 1791; married 
Chloe Parker. 

VII. John, born Dec. 21, 1793; died 
August 9, 1798. 

The farm of James Candage contained 
about a hundred acres, extending from the 
tide mill pond westward over the fields, 
pastures and ledges to Mother Bush pond. 
He was half owner of the tide mills and, 
for that period, well to do. 



HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF BLUEHILL, MAINE. 



15 



The house in which he li', ed was divided 
into two parts, the western half beiug 
occupied by himself, his wife and daugh- 
ter Sarah and the other half by his son 
Azor and family. 

Azor Candage was a schoolmaster in his 
younger days, a fine writer with the quiil 
pen and something of a carpenter and 
joiner. He was also a justice of the peace 
and aided those who needed his services in 
making out aeeds and other legal papers, 
but in the boyhood of the writer he 
depended chiefly upon the products of the 
farm for support, the whole of which 
came to him upon the death of his father 
in 1819. His mother and sister Sarah, 
however, had certain rights in the prop- 
erty during their lives, and lived in the 
house until their death. 

He married Chloe Parker Sept. 26, 1815; 
she was born Oct. 12, 1795; daughter of 
Joshua and Elizabeth (Chandler) Parker, 
granddaughter of Col. Nathan and Mary 
(Wood) Parker, and great-granddaughter 
of Joseph Wood, the first settler. Her hus- 
band, Azor Candage, was descended from 
James Candage, sr., and John Koundy, sr., 
two of the early settlers. Their children 
were: 

1. Harriet Newell, born April 24, 1816; 
married Phineas Dodge; aied Oct. 21, 1879. 

2. Joshua Parker, born July 8, 1819; 
married Belinda B. Stover; died Nov. 15, 
1870. 

3. Elizabeth, born April 27, 1822; died 
August 25, 1833. 

4. John, born June 5, 1825; died Sept. 
20, 1826. 

5. Hannah Roundy, born Sept. 8, 1827; 
died unmarried at Newburyport, Mass. 

6. Mary Isabella, born Nov. 18, 1831; 
married a Mr. Bardsley, of Rhode Island. 

7. Julia Eveline, born April 6, 1833; 
married Mr. Wakefield, of Massachusetts. 

8. Elizabeth Walker, born Nov. 1835; 
married Mars hall Harding. Azor Candage, 
head of this f amil v', died Nov. 12, 1854, and 
Chloe, his widow. May 20, 1870, in her 
75th year. 

After their death the old house was oc- 
cupied by Phineas Dodge his wife and 
family during his life, and by his widow 
until a short time before her death. The 
barn was sold and moved away and the 
old house finally succumbed to the rav- 
ages of time and w'as torn down. At this 
writing there are no buildings standing, 



and the land that once composed the farm 
has passed into other hands. 

The children of Phineas and Harriet 
Newell (Candage) Dodge were: 

1. Justin Evander, born Nov. 21, 1840. 

2. Rosina Harriet, born Oct. 26, 1842. 

3. Adelbert Delasco, born April 6, 1845. 

4. Clara Havilah Whitney, born Sept. 
26, 1847. 

5. Mina Herbert, born April 3, 1850. 

6. Frank V/., born Oct. 31, 1852. 

7. Annah Elizabeth, born Sept. 7, 1855. 

8. George A., born Sept. 24, 1859. 
Phineas Dodge, head of this family, died 

at about 80 years of age. He was the son 
of Eiisha and Lydia (Day) Dodge, born 
Sept. 6, 1813. In his youth he was a sailor, 
afterwards became a ship carpenter and 
ended his days as a farmer. 

The next house was built about 1790 by 
Jonathan Ellis, who came to the town 
from Bellingham, Mass., and her kept a 
store in one room from which "the barrel 
of rum and sugar and molasses enough to 
sweeten it for raising the new meeting 
house" was sent in May, 1792. In that old 
house, still standing and occupied, the 
writer was born nearly seventy-nine years 
ago, and around it centre many a fragrant 
memory of the impressible days of child 
hood and of youth. 

From the wiadow of the room 
in which the writer first gave his cry of 
life, one looked out upon the field once 
owned by Nicholas Holt, beyond which 
was the mill pond, the tide mills and the 
island on which his great grandfather, 
John Roundy, and Joseph Wood landed 
April 7, 1762, built their two log houses 
and began the settlement of the town. 

From that window one could see the 
the waters of the bay, Long Island, New- 
bury Neck, the hills of Mt. Desert and of 
Schoodic, and the white sails of vessels 
passing and repassing on the bosom of the 
bay— a sight once seen ever after to be 
remembered. Around this place and 
about it cluster the earlier historical 
events connected with the town. The 
first town meeting, the gathering of the 
first church, the building of the first 
houses, the first mills, the opening of the 
first store and the first tavern or public 
house, the first marriage, and probably 
the first birth of a white child, and the 
first death and funeral in the settlement. 

In this same house lived Nathan Ellis, a 



16 



SISTOBICAL SKETCHES OF BLUEHILL, MAINE. 



brother of Jonathan, and in it was born 
his son Vaspasian, Jan. 11, 1802, whose 
mother was Mary Bass, who died April 
10, 1804. Jonathan Ellis was born in 
Bellingham June, 1774, married Susannah 
Parker, Sept. 11, 1795, daughter of Peter 
Parker, sr. ; she was born June 27, 1772; 
died August 17, 1803; her husband died 
Dec. 23, 1806. Children were: 

1. Jonathan, born Dec. 18, 1795; died 
August 21, 1815. 

2. Charles, born Nov. 13, 1797; died in 
Cambridge, Mass., March 9, 1873. 

3. AJmira, born April 5, 1801 ; died in 
Searsport, Me., April 11, 1884. 

Amos HUl, born July 11, 1803; died in 
Searsport, Me. 

The family of Nathan Ellis, their his- 
tory, etc., belong to the village section of 
the town, to which they removed probably 
before 1812. The lot of land owned 
originally by the Ellis family, and which 
belonged with the house was very small. 
Whether any one occupied the house be- 
tween the Ellis family and the father of the 
writer, there is no record to show. 

James Roundy Candage was the occu- 
pant from 1816 to his death in 1852. He 
was the son of James, jr., and Hannah 
(Roundy) Candage, born Jan. 15, 1781; 
married Feb. 29, 1816, Phebe Ware Par- 
ker, widow of Capt. WUliam Walker, of 
Brooksville, lost at sea, whose mother was 
Emma (Roundy) Walker, daughter of 
John Roundy, sr. 

Mr. Candage and wife took up their 
abode in the Ellis house upon their mar- 
riage; in it their children were born, and 
in it she died on Oct. 3, 1850, at the age of 
62, and he Dec. 23, 1852, laged nearly 
72 years. She had three children by Capt. 
Walker, viz: 

1. Phebe W., born June 13, 1808; died 
Dec. 13, 1815. 

2. William, bom Dec. 16, 1809; died Jan. 
24, 1849, at Matanzas, Cuba. 

3. Mary Jane, born August 17, 1811; 
died August 30, 1826. 

and twelve by Mr. Candage as follows: 

1. Simeon Parker, born Nov. 21, 1816 
lost at sea Dec. 31, 1842. 

2. John Walker, born March 15, 1818 
died Sept. 20, 1822. 

3. James Roundy, born April 8, 1819 
died Dec. 14, 1856, at Fortune Isld. 

4. Samuel Barker Brooks, born Jan. 25, 
1821; died Sept, 1,1826. 



5. Robert Parker, born Oct. 26, 1822; 
died Jan. 31, 1878, at Blue Hill. 

6. Dorothy Perkins, born Feb. 6, 1825; 
died August 28, 1826. 

7. Rufus QeoTge Frederick, born July 
28, 1826, of Brookline, Mass. 

8. Samuel Franklin, born Jan, 2, 1828; 
died at Honolulu, May 7, 1863. 

9. John Brooks, bom June 24, 1829; 
died in Australia, July 23, 1870. 

10. Hannah Roundy (twin), born Aug- 
ust 12, 1831 ; died Sept. 4, 1831. 

11. Mary Perkins (twin), bom August 
12, 1831; died Sept. 4, 1831. 

12. Charles Edward, bom April 30, 1833; 
died at Honolulu, April 14, 1862. 

All the sons of this family that grew to 
manhood were sailors, and as seen above, 
all but one are dead, having passed away 
in foreign lands or at sea, where they 
found graves. Perhaps no other family of 
the town shows such a remarkable record 
in that way. 

Their father, until he was married, was 
a sailor on coasting, West Indian and 
European voyages, but upon becoming 
engaged to be married, his prospective 
wife exacted from him the promise that 
when married he would give up his sea 
rovings. 

She is said to have explained that one 
husband had been lost at sea, leaving her 
with three young children to care for, and 
she did not feel like taking chances that 
might again leave her a widow. He 
entered into that agreement with her and 
kept it, but all the boys were born with 
an inherited tendency for a sea life, and 
against the wish and advice of both par- 
ents, adopted it. 

Their father bought the house already 
mentioned, the Holt field, part of the 
Wood farm, in all something over a hun- 
dred acres, a meadow and wood lot of 
another hundred acres, and half of the 
two tide mUls, and between farming and 
mUling, managed to provide for his large 
family comfortably and to dispense 
generous hospitality. 

The grist mill brought many people to 
it with grist to be ground, all of whom, 
if there at meal or night time, were in- 
vited to make the house their home free 
of cost, which many availed themselves of. 

The farm began at the tide mills, with 
lines abutting on the west of land of Azor 
Candage, on the east by the Sinclair place, 



niSTOlilCAL SKETCHES OF liLUKHILL, MAINE. 



17 



a rd runninij over Oak hill to the b^iik lot 
of Mnrbli? Pirker. 

On the farm were kept b hnlf dozen 
cows, a yoke of oxen, young stork, a 
horse, thirty or mora sheep, pi\js, hens 
and jfees?; hiy waa cut for the stoi-k, 
crops rai33i for the support of the family, 
mikinij it a busy place from April to 
November, and in winter wood was cut 
an i hauled for a year's supply, so thit all 
were kept busy. Ih.'boys, when out of 
and between si.hool, as soon as they were 
ol i enough to work, had a shire of the 
work to be done in th3 mill, on the farm 
at the barn and in chores about th? house, 
for neith r parent believed in nllowing 
their chillren to be brought up in idle- 
ness. Th?y were not overworked, but 
taught hibits of industry, so needful to 
the bov and useful to the man. 

In the upper part of the field stood a 
house built by one of the sons of Joseph 
Wood and occupied for some time prior to 
183D by Robert Robertson and family be- 
fore h? built and removed to the hous? on 
the bay shore towards Parker Point, where 
th? family later lived, and where he and 
his wife died. 

The housj from the field was moved 
down about 1833, and became the L 
and addition to the Samuel R. Candage 
house. The bricks lor building the 
chimney were brought from McHards' by 
V ssel, and landed on the little beach near 
th? tide m lis, and then hauled to the 
house in an ox-cart. 

The writer and a cousin on a visit to 
the house, desired to go down with the ox- 
team and see the bricks loaded and 
brought up. His father did not care to be 
bo. u^ r a w ith children too young to look 
out for th-inselvcs, so he suid, "now, 
chil Ir^n I want you to stay right here and 
watch the cat and prevent her from eating 
th se bricks." 

.\w y he went for another load, and the 
children went on with their play, forget- 
ting all about the cat. But, as luck would 
hive it, the cat came round the corner of 
th' house strode up on to the pile of 
bri -ks, when the children espied h"r and 
drove htr away. Great was their dismay 
to fln-1 a bri-k with a corner gr>nc» just 
where the cat stood when she was driven 
away. Then came the t'-ain hack, when 
the writer exclaimed, "Father! The old 
cat got hero while we were at play, and ate 



t le cornt r of this brick, but wo drove her 
Hway as soon as wo lould." 

A curious snile lighted up his face as he 
said, "Well, ihildren, I am glad vou did 
not let the cat oat any moro of thi-m, so 
keep a good watch, for cats arc sly irea- 
turos." The children really were of the 
opinion that lals ate briika; thiy had 
proof of it in the bri k with thj corner 
gone, and didn't the writer 8 fathc r say 
thHt they ate bri.ks? No, ho didn't say 
anything of the kind, but that was the 
impression his words loft upon the child 
mind. ihe whole truth is better for 
thildren than a half truth. 

The old house seems filled with mrmoriea 
of incidents, jokes, plays, and of people 
who visited it in the childhood of the 
writer. Of all that living throng he so 
well remember, every voice but his is 
silent, and were it not for this reminiscent 
account, would be forgotten. After the 
death of Samuel R. Candage the old house 
and place, in part, were sold to Otis Car- 
ter. He di>d leaving it to his widow, and 
upon her death it went to an adopted 
daughter, who still owns it, and in whi h 
Ebenezer M. McFarland has a life iulercst 
by Mrs. Carter's will. 

We will now pass on and turn the cor- 
ner of the road leading to the former site 
of the tide mills. On that corner stand 
several oaks planted by the writer, his 
father, and his son Samuel, more than 
sixty years ago. Ascending the little 
elevation in the road to the house of A. 
R. Conary we recognize the site of the 
house and inn of Nicholas Holt. He came 
from Andover Mass., in 1765, with his 
family. He was born March 10, 1716; mar- 
ried first Hannah Osgood, May 6, 1739; she 
was i.ciru May, 1714; died Sept. 1, 1744; 
married second Lois Phelps, April L9, 1751; 
she died Jan. 4, 1815; ho died March 16, 
1798. Their children were: 

1. Jedediah, born April, 1740; died 
Sept. 1740. 

2. Hannah, born Nov. 16, 1741; married 
Jonathan Darling. 

3. Phebe, born Feb. 9, 1752; married 
Israel Wood; she was child of second wife. 

4. Jededi'ih, born March 12, 1754; mar- 
ried Sirah Thorndike. 

5. Nicholas, born Sept. 23, 17.^5; mar- 
ried first Phebe Bachelor, second MuUy 
Wormwood. 



18 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF BLUE II ILL, MAINE. 



At tii3 house of Nicholas Holt town- 
meetia;is were h?ld in early days. He was 
a justice of tha peace, and when the town 
was incorporated in 1789, it was ha that 
was designated to call the first town 
mseting under the act of incorporation. 
He was electsd to town office and was an 
influential person in the town. 

The father of the writer called the field 
"the Granny Holt Fi.ld", ani a little way 
back of the cellar to the old house were 
several apple trees, one a greening, prob- 
ably the first of its kind in the town. 

Upon this site later stood a shoemaker's 
shop used as a dwelling by a Mr. Sawyer, 
who came fro-n Biddeford to work for 
John Cheever, who carried on slioemaking 
previous to 1840, and after him occupied 
by Mrs. Joanna Parker and family, but 
long since gone. 

Farther down the road towards the tide 
mills stands the house built by John 
Cheever about 1835. Mr. Cheever came 
from Beverly to Blue Hill village and set- 
tled, where ha kept a store and began to 
build a fishiug fleet, the first being the 
schooner "Marion", built at the village. 

The father of the writer sold him the 
land for his house, store, wharf, fish flakes 
and garden, where he carried on business 
and continued to reside until his death in 
1831, aged fifty-one years. His wife was 
Betsey Gardner, of Beverly, by whom he 
had seven children, as fellows: 

1. Betsey Jackson, born March 12, 1824; 
married R. G. W. Dodge; died April 7, 
1867. 

2. John Gardner, born June 28, 1826; 
supposed to have been lost at sea. 

3. Sarah Susan, born Dec. 15, 1829; died 
at Andover, Mass., Nov. 33, 1896. 

4. Horace W., born Nov. 14, 1833; mar- 
ried and resides at Haverhill, Mass. 

5. Austin W., b Dm June 7, 1836; died 
from exposure in war of the Rebellion. 

6. George B., born March 26, 1838; died 
from exposure in the war of the Rebellion. 

7. Ella Thorndike, born Jan. 29, 1815; 
resides in Andover, Mass. 

After the death of Mr. Cheever, the fam- 
ily removed to Andover, Mass., where 
Mrs. Cheever died at the age o* eighty- 
two. Mr. Cheever built at the tide mill 
landing brigs "Delhi" and "Equator" and 
bark "Sarah Jackson". He bought a 
Gloucester fishing schooner called the 



"Mary Ann", and carried on quite an 
extensive fishiag busiaess, curing his 
catches and sending them to market, even 
sending his schooner "Marion" with a 
cargo of dry fish to the West Indies. 

Hs kept a variety store, manufactured 
sho-s, got out wood for market and was an 
enterprisiog man, whose career was cut 
short by sudden death by heart failure. It 
WiS the bri^ "Equator" that the writer 
first commanded in 1850, built by him in 
that year, that gave him occasion to 
remember Mr. Cheever with kiadly feel- 
ings, and also the members of his family. 

After the Cheever family had left the 
place, it was sold to a Mr. Seavy, who also 
purchased the tide mills. He occupied the 
premises for some years and then disposed 
of them, including the mills, to Capt. 
William Conary. The mills were taken 
dov.m or fell down during the ownership 
of Capt. Conary. After Capt. Conary's 
d;aththe Cheever house and place were 
sold to Irving S. Candage, the present 
owner and occupant. The wharf has 
fallen into decay and the store and sheds 
caught fire and were destroyed several 
years ago. 

Down upon the point near the tide-mill 
site stands a house built in 1833 by Ben- 
jimin Clay, upon land purchased of the 
writer's father. Mr. Clay was a joiner by 
trade, and died in that house of consump- 
tion April 14, 1833. He was the son of 
Jonathan and Mary (Roundy) Clay and a 
cousin to the father of the writer of this 
account of him. He was born Oct. 17, 
1784; married, first. Relief Green, Feb. 20, 
1806, by whom he had the following chil- 
dren: 

1. Rebecca, born Jan. 3, 1807. 

2. Chesley, born June 5, 1809. 

3. Amanda, born April 20, 1811. 

4. Clarinda Green, born Jan. 23, 1813. 

The mother of these children died of 
consumption May 10, 1839, aged fifty-three 
years, and Mr. Clay married second Sally 
Clough, daughter of Asa, sr., and Abigail 
(Pecker) Clough, Feb. 24, 1831, by whom 
he had children, viz.: 

5. Sarah Relief, born March 16, 1832; 
died August 15, 1832. 

6. Benja Chesley (twin), born July 29, 
1835. 

7. Sarah Clarinda (twin), born July 29, 
1835. 



lllsTOlilCAL SKKTCJIh'S OF JiLCKIIILL, MAIMJ. 



19 



After tha occupancy of Mr. Clay and 
family, Capt. Samuel Eaton and lamily 
from Ueer Isle live there a fow ieiirs; 
tluMi PhincHS Dodge and faniilj', and va- 
rious oth.rs from lime to lime for longer 
or shjrtt-r periods. 

Th.' tide mills, the first of whi h was 
biiili ill 1765, wh n at its raising every 
jHrson in town was present and all sat 
about one table at dinner, was the first 
mill of the town, and was named "i:.u- 
dvavor". The fath.r and grandfather of 
th-' writer were owners in the mills, and 
h- worlced in ttum in boyhood, and has 
nvuiy r^-'coUettiona of th^m. His earli.-st 
is of th;.* time when he was three j-tars of 
&^' and accompanied his father to tne 
mills dressed i.i pelt i>outs, and with his 
h iii clashing his lunch of b/ead and but- 
ter. 

i'he father was enjraged in making re- 
pairs to "the nig.jer wh^el", and had 
t ;'cen up a plank of th3 mill flooring the 
better to get at the; work. He hid occa- 
sion to g*t some tools in ths grist mill 
n^ar at hind, so he sat his boy down 
a>vay from the hole in the floor 
and told him to be sure and sit 
th ■r-' till he came back. Hardly hid 
h? disappeared from si ^ht before an un- 
controllable desire s.ized the writer to 
look down through that hole in the floor. 
So he crawled along until he readied the 
spot and looking down saw the water be- 
neath, then lost his balance and pitched 
headlong through the hole into the waters 
b'.low. He rose to the surface lying upon 
bis back floating lightly and holding his 
hind up to protect his bread and butter. 
Th.' tide was ebbing, carrying him slowly 
B award, but he was unconcerned and ex- 
aiiined the floor timbers of th? mill and 
thought th?m strangj appearing. 

Ju.stth?n his father returned and missed 
his boy, but on looking down through the 
hole made by removal of the plank in the 
floor the eyes of father and son met, but 
not a word was spoken. In order to 
reach the boy the father went out of the 
mill to the log wharf where lumber was 
pil'.'d, and climbed down the logs by hand 
and feet to the water's edge, but when he 
jfot there the child was beyond his reach. 
He climbed back, got a slick of some sort 
and climbed down again to the water's 
edge, raached out the Sti'', gently dr^w 
the child lo him, dropped the stick, seized 



theibild bj' his clothing and safely put 
hi n upon the whir above his head and 
clambered up himself. 

All Ih.' time not a word had been spoken, 
bui wh3n the child was stfj and he stood 
bsiie hi n, his pjut-up feelings found 
vent und h* said: "Vouyjung rascal, youl 
Di In't I tell you to sil still a.td not move?-' 
Thi writer repli-'d: "I wanted to see what 
was down th-»re." "Well," said he, "you 
hi .e seen, haven't you? Now come along 
home to your mother and have your 
clothes changed." And th? child trudged 
along home in his wet clothes holding by 
one hand his father's and in the other his 
bread an.n butler he had not let go of, and 
thus what might have proved a serious 
matter ended. 

At another time thi? writer and hia 
brother Samuel were at work in the old 
saw mill at evening, and their father was 
at work in the grist mill. A log had been 
sawed into boards and taken from the 
carriage ready to put on another log. A 
neighbor's son was present. The mill was 
poorly lighted by two oil lamps, and whtn 
ready to roll on the log, Samuel refused to 
help, and it was too heavy for one to man- 
age. Finding that argument did not pre- 
vail, the writer went into the grist mill 
and entered his bill of complaint, which 
the father came into the saw mill to set 
right. 

Samuel in the meantime had reconsid- 
ered his action, and was bending over the 
log straining every nerve to roll it into 
place. The father in the dim light saw 
the neighbor's son standing idle, and 
thinking It was his own son, said to him: 
"lake holi there and help roll on that 
log!" That having no effect, he walked 
up and "boxed" the boy's ears, thinking 
him to be his son Samuel, and repeated his 
order: "Take hold, sir, and help roll that 
log on!" The boy "took hold", and on 
went the log, while the writer and his 
brother nearly split their sides with sup- 
pressed laughter at their father's blunder 

The boy who bad his e irs "boxed" t>egaD 
crj'ing when Mr. Candage discovered his 
mistake and made an apology, saying: "I 
ask your pardon; it was all a mistake and 
I take it .11 back!" The boy's ears 
were still smarting under the blow they 
had received, and he replied: "1 don't see 
how you can take it back now!" Neither 
did the writer nor hia brother. But thiji 



?0 



HISTOBICAL ;SK ETCHES OF liLUEJIlLL, MAINE. 



ended th? iacident, though the memory of 
it Still clings to the writer w ith a freshnesd 
as of an occurrence of yesterday. 

Ihs mill pond was a favorite place for 
the boys to swim in. Sometimes a seal 
would pass inlo it through the flood gates, 
and when the gates shut, he would be im- 
pounded, to become the target of th sports- 
men of the neighborhood, and finally their 
prey. 

In the spring of the year, the flounders, 
that had wintered in the pond rose from 
th'.ir beds and sought larger liberty out- 
side by passing through the flood gates at 
near slack water, wh^re many weretpeared 
and served up fried at table as a dainty bit 
of food. 

All this is of the past the mills are gone 
and all those that had to do with the m in 
those days, the writer, probably, alone ex- 
cepted. Of late years the pond has been a 
preserve for lobsters, but even that use 
has been given up, and although the tide 
ebbs and flows as of yore, no us3 is being 
made of this once valuable water power. 

Near the mills was the shipyard of this 
part of the town, where many vessels 
were built in former time, and miny 
others were rebuilt or repaired. But that 
iadustry, like the sawing of lumber and 
grinding of grain at the tide mills, has 
gone, evidently never more to return. 

The vessels built in this yard were the 
schooner Conquest of lOD tons in 1820 
by the Sinclairs; the brig Mentus of 
176 tons in 1825 by the Sinclairs; the 
schooner Kleber of 119 tons by Samuel 
E. Candage, bark Virginia of 284 tons 
by the Sinclairs; sh'p Tahmaroo of 372 
tons in 1844 by the SLiclairs; bark Sarah 
Jackson 198 tons, 1846, by John Cheever; 
brig Delhi of 175 tons, 1848, by John 
Cheever; brig Equator of 156 tons, 1850, 
by John Cheever, and others whose data 
are not at hand. 

The bark Virginia, launched July 4, 1833, 
was the first vessel the writer rem3mber3 
to have seen glide from her building 
blocks into the element for which she was 
intended to do duty in the world's carry- 
iag trade. It being a holiday, people in 
large numbers from far and near gathered 
to see the launching, among whom were 
women and children who seated them- 
selves upon the shores near the tide line 
and received a wetting from the wave that 
the launching caused. The writer re- 



memb'rs hearing thfir s-reams of fright 
and alarm on th= oc< asinn as the wave rose 
and deluged their clothing but doing no 
otht r dama'^c. 

The Virginia was moored in the cove, 
there then being no wharf to place her be- 
side, to receive her spars, be ringed and 
completed for ssa, and a floating bridge 
was constructed and placed between her 
and the shore for the workmen's conven- 
ience in passing to and from her. 

Capt. William Sinclair was fond of 
shooting, and had built a gunning float, 
scow form with a board nailed across ea< h 
e !d in whi h he went for wild ducks with 
his boat dressed in seaweed so as to 
not frighten the birds. One day the writer 
and his brother Robert were in the boat, 
whi- h was anchored with a stone tied to a 
rope, near the vessel, fishing for flounders, 
tomcods and harbor pollock. 

When tired of fishing the writer, by 
order of his brother tried, to pull up the 
anchor while standing upon the cross 
board at the bow with th? ropj on one 
side. The stone was heavy for his youth- 
ful strength, and while straining and do- 
ing his best to pall it up. ani it had aboat 
reached the surface, the stone slipped 
from the rope and the writer, relieved from 
its weiijht, tumbled backwards head down 
into the water. 

Down he went what seemed to be fath- 
oms, but were only feet; he heard the 
waters gurgling about his ears, drank a 
swallow or two of the water, had come to 
the conclusion he was to be drowned, but 
even that gave him little concern. He had 
pretty nearly lost cons iousness when he 
rose to the surfaee and his brother reach(ed 
forth his hand and rescued the half- 
drowned lad. 

On another occasion when learning to 
swim on the shore of the mill pond, he 
swam across the creek and turned to swim 
back, when the thau jht came to him that 
the water was beyond his depth, when 
with fright he sank like a stone. The 
same true brother was at hand to be his 
rescuer, so that twice in boyhood that 
brother saved the life of the writer. 
Strange to say that from the date of the 
last oecurrence mentioned, the writer 
never had a recurrence of that fright, but 
could handle himself in water of any 
depth without fear and as though he were 
amphibious. 



HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF BLUEHILL, MAINE. 



21 



The father of ths writer had a boat 
built which was named Hoosier, and which 
was ria-ged with two masts, b.owiprit, fore- 
sail, mainsail, jib, flying jib and two gaff 
topsails, although only fourteen feet in 
length. She was a fast sailer, the ijride of 
the family, and envy of others who had 
no boat. The writer, asad his brother 
Robert made a trip in her to the village in 
the month of March, and were returning 
when she ran upon a small rock: and cap- 
sized instantly. 

The boys jumjaed upon the crown of the 
rock just large enough to stand on, took 
hold of the boat, righted and bailed her 
out with their shoes, and then proceeded 
homeward. The water was like ice and 
chilled them to the bone and they would 
have been drowned but for their fore- 
thought and activity. That experience 
they kept secret for a long time, that it 
might not worry their parents and stop 
their use of the boat. 

The island upon which Joseph Wood and 
John Roundy first built their homes was, 
in the boyhood of the writer, owned by 
Marble Parker, and after him by his son 
Augustus. The latter sold it to David 
Friend and a portion went to a Mr. Syl- 
vester. Mr. Friend sold his part to 
Brooks Gray, and Sylvester his to Mrs. 
Ethelbert Nevin, of New York, who built 
a fine cottage upon it, and at this writing 
is building another. These have been and 
are the owners in the past and at the 
present time. 

Passing on from the tide mill road back 
to the old stage road to and from Sedg- 
wick, there stands just where the former 
diverges a house built by Robert Clay, 
brother of Benjamin already spoken of, on 
land purchased of the writer's father in 
about 1834. Mr. Clay was a joiner and 
house carpenter like his brother, a cousin 
of Samuel R. Candage and a descendant of 
John Roundy, the first settler, through his 
father's marriage with Molly Roundy. 

He was born May 27, 1786; married Patty 
Nickerson, of Castine, May 17, 1807; she 
died March 21, 1854, aged sixty-seven ; he 
May 1852, aged sixty-six. Their children 
were: 

1 Caroline, born Jan. 12, 1809. 

2 Roxanna, born August 9, 1811. 

3 Elmira, born Sept. 29, 1813. 

4 William, born March 5, 1816. 

5 Martha, born Nov. 15, 1818. 



6 \¥illiara H., born March 25, 1821; was 
a sea captain. 

7 Mary S., born April 8, 1S23; married 
Marshall Hardin; died July 23, 1859. 

8 Earzilla, born Nov. 18, 1825; died Feb. 
3, 1832. 

9 Eunice, born May 8, 1828; married 
Rufus Hardin. 

Mr. Clay sold his house and lot in the 
'403 to Samuel R. Candage and removed 
with his family to the village where he 
died. 

The next occupant of this house was 
Joshua Parker Candage, son of Azor and 
Chios Candage, born July 8, 1819; married 
Melinda B. Stover, Oct. 3, 1844, and here 
began housekeeping at that tiie. They 
were married by Rev. Jotham Sewall at 
his house, the pastor of the Congregational 
church, and the writer witnessed the cere- 
mony, the first he ever attendea. 

Joshua Parker Candage, a cousin and 
close friend of the writer, had been 
brought up in the neighborhood, and be- 
ing the only son in his father's family, 
naturally sought the companionship of 
his cousins nearby. He had chosen the 
life of a sailor, and the seasons of 1845-6 
the writer was his trusted first hand of 
the schooner Edward, of which he was 
master. The crew of that vessel in 1S±6, 
yet living, are Freeman R. Mclntyre 
and the writer. 

Capt. Candage gave up the sea a few 
years later, learned the trade of a ship 
carpenter, he having from boyhood been 
fond of mechanical labor, and later be- 
came a master builder, constructing sev- 
eral vessels, among which was the bark 
Oak Ridge in 1859, owned by the late 
Joseph Wesccott, esq. 

He removed from the Falls about 1818 to 
the Shorey place north of the old meeting- 
house site on the Penobscot road, which 
he purchased and where he continued to 
reside until his death. He had three 
sons and several daughters. The family 
record is not at hand, nor in possession of 
the writer. His son now living, the other 
two being deceased, resides in the city of 
Somerville, Mass. 

The next occupant of the Clay house 
was James Roundy Candage, brother of 
the writer, who married Mary Perkins 
Parker, his cousin June 23, 1843, by whom 
he had children as follows: 

1 Wildes Parker, born in Portland, Me. 



22 



HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF BLUE HILL, MAINE. 



July 6, 1844; married and resided in San 
Francisco, Cal., where he had children 
and he died. 

2 Gsorgianna Augusta, born August 16, 
1846; married L. D. Perkins; died on 
Deer Island, Boston Harbor, where she was 
a matron, Nov. 2, 1902, and buried in the 
writer's lot at Brookline, Mass. 

3 Sarah Norton, born Sept. 15, 1848; 
married, has children and resides in Los 
Angeles, Cal. 

4 Sarah Stanley, born March 31, 1851; 
died in Bushwick, N. Y. 

5 Annie Lizzie, born Jan. 2, 1857, mar- 
ried George W. Mason and resides in 
Boston, Mass., at this writing. James, 
head of this family, died Dec. 14, 1856, at 
Fortune Island, Bahamas, and his widow 
Oct., 1859, at Bushwick, N. Y. 

James R. Candage was a sea captain, 
then a shipping master at New York, and 
went from that city to Fortune island to 
purchase wrecked and other material to 
be shipped to the United States, and there 
died suddenly He removed from Bluehill 
to New York in 1851 or 1852. 

The next occupant of the Clay house 
was Eobert Parker Candage, a brother of 
James, son of Samuel R. and Phebe W. 
Candage, born Oct 26,1822; married Feb. 
13, 1850, Sarah Elizabeth Parker, his cousin 
and a sister to Mary, his brother James' 
wife. Their children were : 

1. Burt Henderson, born Nov. 25, 1850; 
married Emma Madura Conary. 

2. Mabel Allen, born Oct. 24, 1852; mar- 
ried William Preston Wood; home in 
Florida. 

3. Joanna Stanley, born July 24, 1855; 
married Albert R. Conary. 

4. Caroline Walker, born Jan. 20, 1859; 
married Brooks Gray. 

5. Mary Augusta Cory, born April 20, 
1861; unmarried. 

6. Phebe Ware, born Jan. 3, 1869; mar- 
ried Irving S. Candage. 

Upon the death of his father, this house 
and a part of the farm came into Robert 
P. Candage's possession, and in it and 
those of his heirs it has remained until 
the present time. Robert, like the rest of 
his brothers, was a sailor and master of a 
vessel nearly all his manhood. He died 
Jan. 31, 1878, aged fifty-five years and three 
months. He was a strong, powerful man, 
stood six feet and an inch in height, and 



until within a year or two of his death, 
when exposure and overwork had en- 
feebled his strength, he knew not the sig- 
nificance of the word fear. Since his 
death the place has been occupied by his 
widow, now in poor health, but for many 
years postmistress at Bluehill Falls. 

On the lot practically, and less than 150 
feet from the house, stands the school- 
house of the district, built in 1831-5 by 
Simeon P. Wood, by contract, in which 
the writer attended winter school under 
the teachings of C. C. Long, Fred A. 
Darling and others. 

Across the road from the schoolhouse is 
the cellar over which it is said the house 
of Joseph Wood stood which he built, 
when he removed from the island at the 
Fore Falls. In that house it is supposed 
that Col. Rufus Putnam, the founder of 
Ohio, later was entertained in the year 
1785, when he came to this place from sur- 
veying Black and White islands in Egge- 
moggin Reach, ceeded to the Penobscot 
Indians by the Massachusetts general 
court. 

He brought wdth him unburnt coffee ber- 
ries, which he asked Mrs. Wood, as tradi- 
tion relates, to make into coffee. She had 
never before seen coffee, and he gave her 
no instructions. She put the berries into 
a kettle with water and hung it over the 
fire to cook, every little while looking to 
see if they grevv soft. In dispair she 
served them at meal time, saying to Col. 
Putnam, "I have cooked that coffee a long 
time, but cannot make it grow soft, and I 
am afraid you won't like it." What reply 
the Colonel made, "Tradition sayeth not," 
or whether he "liked it" as a joke, the 
record is silent. 

The people of the place drew up a peti- 
tion to the general court and entrusted it 
to Col. Putnam to present, praying to be 
relieved of heavy taxes occasioned by the 
Revolutionary war which they were not 
able to pay, and the petition proved suc- 
cessful. Col. Putnam effected the first 
white settlement in what is now the great 
state of Ohio, at Marietta, on April 7, 
1788, by people mostly led by him from 
Essex county, Mass., twenty-two years 
after the settlement was made at the island 
here at the Pore Falls. 

Capt. Joseph Wood's lot probably in- 
cluded what was afterwards the Sinclair 
lot, as there are found in the town records 



IirsTOIilCAL SKETCIfKS OF niJ'ElIILL, MMXK 



23 



certain alluaionH to Capt. Wood's point, 
distinctly from the point at the Tide Mills. 
Ami in the boyhood of the writer a cellar 
was to bo seen opposite the Sinclair 
house where once had stood a house. 

The place opposite the schoolhouse, after 
Capt. Wood had removed from it, must 
have been occupied by his son Israel, as on 
the land were apple trees bearinj^ the 
names of "Joo Tree", "Hannah Tree," 
"Lois Tree," etc., named for the chilaren 
of Israel; thjy still bore those names 
within the ir-emory of the writer, whose 
father later owned the property. 

Israel Wood was born in Beverly, Oct. 
27, 174-1, and came with his fataer's family 
to the town in 17ti3. He married Phebe 
Holt, daughter of Nivholas Holt, Sept. 24, 
17GS; sho was born Feb. 9, 1752; died PYb. 
12, 1S31; he died Nov. 13, ISOD. Their chil- 
dren were: 

1. Phebe, born April 22, 1770; married 
Phineas Pillsbury, Oct. 21, 1788. 

2. Anne, born April 8, 1772; died Dec. 
19, 1776. 

3. Lois, born Feb. 6, 1775; married Ezra 
Parker Dec. 27, 1791. 

4. Anne, born Dec. 24, 1776. 

6. Ruth, born Nov. 5, 1779; married 
James Savage March 7, 1811. 

6. Israel, born July 20, 1782; married Ist 
Joanna Parker; 2nd Betsey Bri:|g3 Hatch. 

7. Joseph, born April 1, 178o; married 
1st Hannah Johnson; 2nd Joanna 
Hinckley. 

8. Hannah, born Jan. 27, 1788; married 
Capt. Isaac Perry, of Orland, Nov. 25, 1815. 

9. Samuel Holt, born July 19, 1791; died 
May 2, 1826. 

When the old house opposite the school- 
house was taken down, there is no evi- 
dence at hand to determine. 

The Edward Sinclair place with the 
house now standing thereon was next to 
the place just described. Edward Sinclair 
was born June 20, 1760, supposed at 
Beverly, where he died while on a visit 
May 19, 1827, aged sixty-seven years. He 
married Dec. 17, 1789, Mary Carleton, from 
Andover, a sister of David, Dudley, 
Edward and Moses Carleton. She was 
born Sept. 17, 1760, and died Jan. 1, 1841, 
aged 80 years and 4';. months. The writer 
remembers her well, and sat up with her 
body after her death, in company with 
John Chattcau, as was the custom of those 
days. 



The Sinclair farm on the lower side of 
the road lay between the Cove and that of 
Marble Parker, and was bounded on the 
other side by land of Samuel K. Candage, 
the curve of the road, and land of Caj.t. 
Samuel Wood running over Oak hill to a 
wo.>d lot and sheep pasture, containing a 
hundred acres or more. 

The house, a large square mansion of 
two stories, painted yellow, and with a 
square roof, was fitted for two famili s, 
Mrs. Sinclair, Maria and Dudley, her chil- 
dren, occupying one-half, and Capt. 
Edward, another son, and his family, the 
opposite half, each having a side and back 
door, while in front was the door leading 
into the front hall and from that through 
doors either way to the separate apart- 
ments, with broad stairs to the upper 
chambers. It was the ideal house, in the 
mind of the writer in boyhood. 

The family of Edward Sinclair, sr., 
beside himself and wife already described, 
consisted of the following children, viz.: 

I. Maria, born April 24, 1791; never 
married, died. 

II. Edward, born Dec. 13, 1792; married 
Elizabeth Haskell July 5, 1825. 

UI. Nab by, born Oct. 22, 1794; married 
Asa Clough, jr., Aug. 1, 1827; she died Dec. 
3, 1827. 

IV. Dudley, born August 17, 1796; never 
married; died at Kockland, Me. 

V. Ebenezer, born March 1, 1798; never 
married; was a sailor, and died in Cuba of 
yellow fever. 

VI. William, born June 18, 1801; a ship 
captain; married in New York city; had 
children; died, no date. 

As the family record of Edward Sinclair 
is not found at Blue Hill, it would suggest 
that his children were born elsewhere. 
Mr. Sinclair's name is not found until 
1815, although he may have been in town 
before that date. The mansion house was 
probably built a few years prior to his 
death in 1827. 

Edward Sinclair, his second child, born 
Dec. 13, 1792, married July 5, 1S"25, Eliza- 
beth Haskell, born in Beverly, Mass., 
April 20, 1800. Edward Sinclair, jr., was a 
sea captain in his younger days, and later 
removed to Aroostook county with his 
family, where he died. 

In the j-outh of the writer he resided in 
half of his mother's house (his father 
being dead) where his children were born« 



24 



HISTOBICAL SKETCHES OF BLUEHILL, 3IAINE. 



The other half w s occupied by his 
mother, his sister Maria and brother 
Dudley, who carried on the farm. In 
that half the carpenters and workmen 
upon vessels built by the Sinclair's were 
boarded and lodged. 

When the bark "Virginia" was being 
bu.lt, a Col. Haskell, from Gloucester, 
Mass., was the blacksmith that fitted her 
ironwork. He was a good workman, a 
bachelor, but fond of a glass of grog. The 
vessel was launched on the Fourth of July, 
so the Colonel, being patriotic, celebrated 
in the manner of those dajs, and took as 
much grog as he could carry to the house 
conveniently, and seated himself at the 
dinner table. 

The grog he had taken began its work 
and he imagined he was watching the 
ship start from the ways. "There she 
goes," said he, leaning to one side. 
"There she goes", and leaning further over 
lost his balance and went sprawling under 
the table, from which position he was 
unable to rise without the help of the 
others aboui the table and then to be 
helped to his bed. 

Dudley Sinclair was a good-natnred 
bachelor who liked boys, always had a 
kind word for them and they in turn were 
fond of him. He told them stories, fished 
with them, knew where berries were to be 
found and was as companionable as 
though of their age and size. The writer 
looks back upon the time when he shared 
his friendship and enjoyed his companion- 
ship, as bright periods in his early life. 

Capt. Edward Sinclair's children were 
as follows, viz": 

1. Edward Dudley, born Aug. 1, 1826; 
died June 6, 1834. 

2. Frederick Augustus, born March 9, 
1828; drowned in California. 

3. Elizabeth H., born Oct. 1, 1829; mar- 
ried Carter, of Sedgwick. 

4. Mary Carleton, born Sept. 10, 1830; 
married Burnham, lives at Sherman Mills, 
Me. 

5. Robert Haskell, born Aug. 6, 1833; 
a soldier of the War of the Rebellion. 

6. Edward, born June 14, 1835; died un- 
married. 

7. Frances, born April 3, 1838 ; died un- 
married. 

8. Andrew, born Nov. 1, 1840; married, 
resides at Sedgwick. 



At this writing none of the blood or 
name of Sinclair resides at Blue Hill. 
Dudley Sinclair sold the farm to Otis Rob- 
erts, after his brother Edward and family 
removed to Aroostook, and went to 
Rockland, Me., where he died at a good 
age. Mr. Roberts sold the place to Harvey 
Conary, who, with his wife, lived some 
years upon it, and there died, leaving a 
son and daughter. The son has half the 
farm and lives in a house built by. him 
near by. The old house and part of the 
land went to his sister, the wife of Burt 
H. Candage, son of Robert Parker and 
Sarah E. Candage, who still owns it. The 
old house has been kept in repair and is 
the finest residence in the Tide Mill dis- 
trict. 

THE MARBLE PARKER PLACE 
is the next, the house, barn and farm all 
lying on the right or eastern side of the 
old stage road, with a back pasture and 
wood lot beyond the Candage and Sinclair 
pastures and mill island already spoken 
of. This description fits a time seventy 
years ago when a gambrel-roofed house 
stood upon the site of the one now stand- 
ing, with well curb and old style sweep 
located a short distance from it. 

What year the old house was built can- 
not now be determined, but 'twas some 
years before 1800. The lot of land that 
went with it was probably taken up by 
Peter Parker, sr.. who came from Ando- 
ver, Mass., to Blue Hill in 1765. He was a 
brother of Col. Nathan and Robert Parker, 
and was born at Andover Jan. 8, 1741; 
married Phebe Marble June 5, 1766. She 
was born July 29, 1744; died Oct. 1, 1805. 
He died October 24, 1822, aged eighty-one 
years, ten months and twenty-three days. 
Their children were as follows : 

I. Phebe, born April 24, 1767; died May 
3, 1795. 

n. Serena, born August 29, 1768; died 
October 12, 1784. 

in. Peter, born October 17, 1769 ; married 
Sally, daughter of Jonathan Darling, Sept. 
13, 1794; she was born April 24, 1769; died 
October 16, 1833; he died April 30, 1855,- 
aged eighty-five years and five months. 

IV. Hannah, born February 19, 1771; 
died October 27, 1855, aged eighty-four 
years, ten months. 

V. Susannah, born July 27, 1772; mar- 
ried Jonathan Ellis September 11, 1795; 



IIISTOniCAL SKETCHES OF liLrEIlILL, MAINE. 



25 



had foar children, Joaathan, Charles, 

Almira and Amos Hill; she died August 
17, 1803. 

VI. Marble, born July 1, 1775; married 
Hannah Lovejoy. 

VII. Mary, born April 1, 1777; died July 
8, 1793. 

VIII. Isaar, born May 23, 1792; married 
Hannah Carter. 

IX. Joanna, born May 6, 1791; married 
Israel Wood, jr. 

Marble Parker was the sixth child of his 
parents, born July 1, 177.'>; married Han- 
nah Lovejoy, September 17, 179S. She was 
born October 16, 1778; died July 13, 1847. 
He died December 17, 1866, of cancer, aged 
ninety-one years. He was tall, of large 
frame and coarse features, with a promi- 
nent Roman nose. His wife, on the con- 
trary, was short of stature, diminutive in 
size and of delicate figure. The writer's 
father said of her: "She is very short when 
standing, but tall as the average woman 
when sitting." Another waj* of express- 
ing the fact, that her body was of the 
usual length, but her limbs were very 
short. Mr. Parker's voice and presence 
were not magnetic, but repelled children 
of the neighborhood, while Mrs. Parker 
had a mild, persuasive voice and a winning 
smile that were attractive. 

Mr. Parker had in his orchard by the 
road, with branches hanging over the 
fence, an apple tree that bore very early, 
toothsome fruit. One day a boy passing 
along picked up an apple from the road- 
side that had fallen from that tree. Mr. 
Parker saw him, called out to put it back, 
and then berated the boy for stealing, 
which wounded to ihe quick and left its 
sting in the wound. The boy had been 
taught that apples lying on the roadside 
were free to passers, and he had no 
thought that he was committing a crime 
by taking one or more from the ground. 

He told his companions of the occur- 
rence. They took his side of the question, 
and it was arranged between them that 
they would go and gather the fruit of that 
tree the next night. With bags to con- 
tain the apples, they assembled in the 
darkness when all was quiet, stripped the 
tree, took the apples to a not distant hay 
loft, secreted them, and at their leisure 
feasted upon them. Shortly after that 
event the boj's met Adoniram Day, then 
lirlng At the Parkers, who related to 



them that the Indians, then camping upon 
Clough's shore, had come at niifht and 
stolen all the apples of that favorite tree. 

The boys said it was too bad, but said 
nothing more, though they had ajjples to 
eat for weeks after. It was wrong for the 
boys thus to have acted, but whether right 
or wrong, they did what they considered 
they were justified in doing -sugar catches 
more flies (and more boys) than all the 
vinegar ever made from cider, or any other 
acid. 

The children of Marble and Hannah 
Parker were: 

1. William, born September 18, 1798; 
di?d Se|!tember 30, 1798. 

2. Serena, born August 10, 1799; mar- 
ried Charles Col burn. 

3. Harriet, born November 18, 1801. 

4. Lieander, born January 22, 181M; died 
October 3, 1804. 

5. Isaac, born July 30, 1805; married 
Abigail Marsh.iU Powers. 

6. Sophia, born December 10, 1807; mar- 
ried George Robertson. 

7. Augustus Granville, born August 7, 
1812; married Dorothy H. Powers. 

8. Phebe, born JuueS, 1816; died May 
26, 1817. 

9. Phebe, born January 4, 1818; never 
married, died in Massachusetts. 

10. Edith, born July 25, 1820; never 
married, died in Massachusetts. 

In the latter years of Mr. Parker's life, 
his farm was carried on by his son, Au- 
gustus G., who tore down the old house 
and built the one now standing. After 
his father's death, Augustus G. Parker 
sold the homestead to David Friend and 
removed to Flye's Point, Brooklin, where 
he and his wife died at a later date, leav- 
ing a son and daughter. 

The Parkers were Baptists, and Marble 
Parker and his wife were members of the 
Baptist church of Bluehill, he joining in 
1816 and his father, Peter, in 1806, at its 
organization. 

The present owner, David Friend, has 
sold the greater part of the Parker farm, 
retaining a few acres near the house, the 
balance having gone to those interested 
in building summer cottages upon it near 
the bay shore. 

THE EDWARD SINCLAIR PLACB 
upon the other side of the road is the next 
house to be described, which is said to 



26 



HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF BLUEHILL, MAINE. 



have been built about 1825 by Captain Ed- 
ward Sinclair, jr., who occupied it a few 
years whe.T first married. The occupant 
first remambered by the writer was Edwin 
Wood and family, son of Israel Wood, jr. 
He was born January 29, 1810, and married 
Susan Higgins July 29, 1839. He lived 
there for a few years and then moved 
elsewhere. 

The next occupant of the place was 
Phineas Dodge and family, then Israel 
Wood, a brother of Edwin, whose wife 
was Mary Walker Gray, of Sedgwick. 
Israel Wood was a great- grandson of Jos- 
eph Wood, and his wife a great-grand- 
daughter of John Roundy, the first set- 
tlers of Blue Kill. Israel Wood and family 
removed to Ellsworth, where he and hi3 
wife died some years after. Others huve 
occupied the place, and at this writing it 
is owned by a Capt. Duffy and family. 

THE OLD SCHOOI. HOUSE, 

the next building upon the road, 
stood upon a ledge at the left corner of 
what is now the shore road to Parker's 
Point. It vras an old-style square struc- 
ture with square roof, un painted and 
anL'ient-looking, that had been moved 
from beyond Bragdon's brook, its first 
location, about 1830 or 1831. 

It was the first school building, on its 
original site, where the writer attended 
school and afterwards upon this site. In 
winter it was attempted to be heated by a 
wood fire in an open fire-place, but a few 
feet from the fire it was as cold as a barn 
with the cold wind passing under the 
building and up through cracks in the 
floor which set the scholars shivering 
with the cold, which, even the thought of 
now, causes an unpleasant sensation to 
the writer. 

Moses Pillsbury was the teacher for 
years in that house, and the school was a 
mixed one, containing scholars from four 
to twenty years of age. The writer cannot 
think of one beside himself now living 
who attended that school with him — yes, 
there is one, Almira Wood, now Mrs. J. 
Q. A. Butler, of New York. She probably 
would remember the incident of a dead 
crow being thrown down the chimney by 
boys outside, and the stir and smell it 
made in the schoolroom, when the feathers 
and flesh of the bird began burning, and 



the anger uf Master Pillsbury at the trick 
played upon him and the school. 

The old schoolhouse took flre on a Sat- 
urday afternoon in 1833, and was entirely 
consumed, with no scholar to mourn its 
loss. The writer was on the spot to see 
the last of its frame all afire, fall and be 
consumed. A boy of the neighborhood, 
but not a native, was an at endant at that 
school and related to the writer under a 
promise of secrecy how the building took 
fire. As he has been dead many years and 
his name ia not to be revealed, there is 
now no harm in stating how the fire origi- 
nated. 

He said that passing in the afternoon he 
went into the schoolhouse. The fire of 
the forenoon was still smouldering in the 
fire-place. He thought of how he and 
others had suffered with the cold therein, 
and the desire came to him to have it 
warmel up for once, and then a better and 
warmer house would be built. 

He took a live coal from the embers, 
placed it in a crack in the floor, fanned it 
until the fire had good headway, then 
slipped out, fastened the door and made 
his escai>e down through the pastures in 
in rear and back to the highway and 
shouted fire with all his might. 

The result was the total destruction of 
the old house and the erection of a better 
and warmer one upon another site nearer 
the tide mills. Great was the wonder 
how the old house took fire - two boys 
only knew the secret as above. No one 
ever mentioned that boy's name in con- 
nection with its destruction, and until 
now, for more than seventy years, the 
writer has kept the secret committed to 
him. 

THE SAWYER HOUSE 

and place next to the old schoolhouse site 
the writer well remembers. The house 
was built by Mr. Sawyer, the shoemaker 
from Biddeford, who first worlced in the 
neighborhood for John Cheever. Mr. 
Sawyer married a Miss Curtis for his first 
wife; she died and he married her sister 
for a second wife. He built this house 
previous to 1840, the exact date the writer 
does not know, and lived in it a number 
of years, then removed to the village and 
later from the town. 

The next occupant was Capt. John 
Robertson, son of Robert Robertson, who 



lUSTOlilCAL SKETCHES OF BLUEIIILL, MAINE. 



27 



married Miss Nancy E. Brown in 1843-4. 
Caildren were: 

1. Robert H., born August 28, 1815; died 
September 28, 1816. 

2. John Albert, born November 9, 1848. 

3. Andrew Parker, born December 19, 
1853. 

John Robertson was a sea captain, and 
died at Newport. R. I., in 1851. Ills widow 
sold the place after his death and removed 
from the town to her native place in 
VVasbiriijton county. After C.ipt. Robert- 
son, .\ndrew Gay and family resided at 
thit house and pla-e. 

Th'.' next occupant and owner, Mr. Her- 
rick, still r^^sides on the place. He A-as 
born in Sedi^wick, is a blacksmith by 
trade and a worthy citizen. 

THE SAMUEL WOOD HOUSE 
and place is the next in order. The ori?- 
inal house was of two stories with brick 
end- walls, and with woodsheds attached. 
Samuel Wood was the son of Joseph 2nd 
and grandson of Josaph the first settler. 
His mother was Eleanor Carter, and he was 
born Dec. 31, 1776, and married Fanny 
Colburn Nov. 6, 1805; she was bora Oct. 26, 
1782; died Mirch 27, 1851 ; he died August 
5,1812. Children were: 

1. Sim3on Parker, born August 2, 1807; 
married Lucy H. Powers. 

2. Fanny, born Aug. 2, 1809; married 
Timothy Colburn. 

3. Simuel, born June 12, 1811; married 
at Monmouth, 111. 

4. Lydia Parker,' born March 8, 1814. 

5. Miry Jane, born April 5, 1816; mar- 
ried Leonard Clough. 

6. Robert Parker, born Jan 1, 1819; died 
Oct. 31, 1836. 

7. Betsey Paters, born Sept. 3D, 1821; 
marri-'d .March 2, 1839. 

8. Alinira Ellis, born June 15, 182-1; 
married J. Q. A. Butler. 

Capt. Samuel Wood, the head of this fam- 
ily, was a farmer and a highly respected 
man, whom the writer well remembers. 
His son Robert and the writer were as fast 
friends as boys of different ages could pos- 
sibly be. They fished for trout, gunned 
for jMirtridges and played games together. 

All of tho family have left town or died 
years ago, and the place, after the death of 
Simeon P., passed into other hands. The 
farm and pastures occupied both sides of 



the main road and extended over the hill, 
including raorj than a hundred acres. Be- 
fore the death of his father, Simeon 
Parker Wood married Lucy H. Powers, 
Dec. 25, 1839, and brought her to the old 
homestead to reside. After his father's 
and mother's deaths he pulled down the 
old house and built the one now standing 
on the old site. In his earlier days he was 
a land surveyor, but after marriage carried 
on tne farm. 

He was a kindly min, fond of boys, and 
the boys of the neighborhood were fond of 
him. At one time he kept a shop in the 
old house, and among other things he 
sold were Malaga cask raisins at six cents 
per pound. The boys bought raisins of 
him which, as was com'iion, had a good 
share of stems among them. They said to 
him, "Mr. Wood, what do you ask per 
pound for raisins with the stems taken 
out?" "The same price," said he. A boy 
said, "I'll take a pound." Mr. Wood pro- 
ceeded to weigh them in the usual manner, 
after which he picked out the stems. Then 
he said to the purchaser, "Don't you 
think I ought to take toll for picking out 
the stems?" upon which he took some, ate 
them and banded over tha rest, which all 
thought was a good joke. 

Another time he went fishing for had- 
dock off the Falls in a boat by himself, 
and the writer and his tw.i brothers went 
in another boat and anchored near him. 
Mr. Wood had poor luck; the boys good 
luck. They all landed and the boys threw 
out and counted their fish, which num- 
bered thirty-nine. Mr. Wood stood by 
watching eagerly the count, with his 
single haddock in his hand. When the 
boys threw down their last fish and said 
"thirty-nine" he threw his one on to 
the pile in triumph and shouted "forty." 
"We have not done bad, have we boys?" 
The boys appreciated the joke and said, 
".Mr. Wood, take as many of the fish as 
you want," and he took them. 

The familj' of Simeon P. and Lucj- Has- 
kell (Powers) consisted of the following 
children : 

1. Samuel Albert, born Sept. 28, 1840; 
died Feb. 6, 1863. 

2. Mary Jane, born May 9, 1844; mar- 
ried in New York. 

3. Alma Frances, born Sept. 28, 1849; 
married. 



28 



HISTOBICAL SKETCHES OF BLUEHILL, MAINE. 



4. Clara Amanda, born Nov. 14, 1851. 

5. Sarah , born August 27, 1856; 

died July 6, 1858. 

6. Almira Etta, born Nov.'21, 1859. 

Mrs. Lucy H. "Wood, died Jan. 31,1869; 
Simeon P. Wood, Jan. 19, 1878. 

After the deaths of the head of this fam- 
ily, the place was sold to Sew ell Welling- 
ton Candage, son of Sands and Abigail 
(Norris) Candage, born on Blue Hill Neck 
May 21, 1840. He married Viola A. Black 
Jan. 10, 1867, by whom he had two chil- 
dren, Ada, born Feb. 18, 1868, and Fred- 
erick L., born April 14, 1870. Mr. Can- 
dage is the fifth in descent from James 
Candage who settled upon the Neck in 
1766. He still owns the Wood place, and 
is a farmer. 

The Wood farm on the westerly side of 
the road extended from the line of the 
Sinclair farm to the Clough farm, near 
Bragdon's brook, except one acre belong- 
ing to Israel Wood, 2d, to be described 
later, and extended beyond the hill a con- 
siderable distance. 

Beyond the hill, Samuel Wood, brother 
of Simeon P., built a house and barn about 
1833 in which he lived a bachelor's life 
until 1837, when he sold out and went to 
Monmouth, 111., where he settled, mar- 
ried; had children; became mayor of the 
place and a man of means and influence, 
and where he died at a good age. 

The writer well remembers. him and his 
bachelor home upon the hill, which he 
frequently visited when a boy, for like his 
brother Simeon, he was fond of boys and 
young company. 

Capt. Merrill Dodge bought the place, 
removed to it with his family from Long 
Island, and lived there until his death, 
after which the house and barn were 
torn down. 

Capt. Merrill Dodge was the son of 
Jonah Dodge, of Sedgwick, who married 
Abigail, daughter of David Carter, of 
Long Island, Nov. 6, 1828; she was born 
Jan. 1, 1805; died Dec. 3, 1878; he died Jan. 
27, 1884, upwards of eighty years of age. 

Capt. Dodge comi.anded vessels in the 
coasting trade, was a smart coasting 
"skipper", fond of a joke, a good story- 
teller, a good mimic, fond of company and 
a companionable man. One of the writ- 
er's first trips coasting was with him in a 
schooner he commanded named "Passa- 



maquoddy". He had seven children, as 
follows : 

1. Ezra N., born July 30, 1832; died 
Sept. 20, 1837. 

2. Nancy L., born April 6, 1834. 

3. Caroline J. C, born Feb. 24, 1837. 

4. Sarah Ann, born Oct. 13, 1840. 

5. Ezra N., born Dec. 29, 1843; died July 
14, 1844. 

6. Susan M., born Oct. 15, 1845; died 
Oct. 18, 1859. 

7. Edwin B., born June 25, 1850. 

He also had an adopted son, Otis Gay, 
illegitimate son of Otis Gay, of Castine; 
a fine fellow, a schoohrate of the writer, 
also his shipmate in schooner "Passama- 
quoddy", in ship "Java" from New York 
to Charleston, S. C, and from that port to 
Liverpool, and back to New Orleans in 
ship "Iowa" and at the latter port died of 
cholera in the spring of 1849, after an ill- 
ness of less than two days. The writer 
communicated the intelligence of his 
death to Capt. Dodge, and mourned his 
death as that of a brother. The 

STINSON OR GEORGE ROBERTSON PLACE 

lay quite a distance back of the place last 
named. It is said that a Mr. Stinson, who 
came from Deer Isle, built the house; at 
any rate he lived there in the childhood of 
the writer, worked upon the farm of the 
writer's father sometimes, and gave the 
nick name of "Tag and Yell" to the writer 
because he wanted to tag after the work- 
men into the field, and cried if not per- 
mitted to do so. What became of Mr. 
Stinson and family there is neither record 
nor tradition known to the writer to de- 
termine. 

After Mr. Stinson left the place, it was 
occupied by George Robertson, who mar- 
ried Sophia, daughter of Marble Parker, 
Oct. 8, 1833. George Robertson was the 
son of Robert Robertson; he was a sailor 
and farmer am had the following chil- 
dren: 

1. Marble Parker, born March 17, 1834; 
he was foremast hand with the writer in 
brig "Equator", Blue Hill to Boston and 
to Valparaiso in 1850-1; then went to 
California, where he died Nov. 30, 1853. 

2. Gteorge Henry, born Dec. 8, 1836; died 
March 17, 1858. 

3. Cenova Sophia, born Jan. 1, 1838. 

4. William Harrison, born Feb. 28, 1840. 

5. John Allen, born August 4, 1842. 



HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF JiLUElIJLL, MAINE. 



29 



6. Charles Colburn, born Oct. 9, 18 14. 

7. Almira Lovejoy, born Nov. 1, 1847. 

8. Augustus, born Jan. 7, 1819; died 
Jan. 7, 1849. 

9. Au>?a3tine, born Jan. 7, 1&19; died 
Jan. 9, 1S19. 

10. Klivini Parker, born Feb. 24, 1850; 
dl?d Oc-t. 2, 1851. 

11. Elviri Parker, born April 28, l&i7. 
The Robertson family removed from this 

place to the villavje, and whether the old 
house is now staudinff the writer does not 
know, but presum '8 it is not. Mr. Rob- 
ertson was a member and deacon of the 
Blue Hill Baptist church at the time of his 
death. He lived to be over eighty, his 
wife dying before he did. 

THE ISRAEL WOOD PLACE 
is the next to be described, which wns 
upon the main road, the house occupying 
an acre on the west side and the rest of 
the farm lying upon the other and stretch- 
ing to the bay shore between lands of Asa 
Clough, sr., and of Samuel Wood. 

Israel Wood was son of Israel and 
grandson of Joseph the first settler. He 
was born July 20, 1782; married Joanna 
Parker, daughter of Peter and Phebe 
(Marble) Parker, May 2. 1808, born May 6, 
1794; died March 4, 1820. They had two 
children, Edwin and Israel, before men- 
tioned. 

Mr. Wood married for a second wife 
Betsey Briggs Hatch, of Nobleborough, 
Sept. 3, 1822, by whom he nad children as 
follows : 

1. Lois Parker, born June 11, 1824; 
married Charles Trueworgy, and moved to 
Ellsworth. 

2. Joan Elizabeth, born Sent. 11, 1826. 
Israel Wood died in 1831, and his widow 

married for a second husband Benjamin 
Herrick. 

After the death of Mr. Wood and mar- 
riage of his widow, the place was sold to 
Isaac Parker, 2nd, who married Abigail 
Marshall Powers, sister to Mrs. Simeon P. 
Wood, and of the wife of his brother, 
Augustus Q. Parker, Feb. 19, 1833, and set 
up housekeeping in the Israel Wood house, 
built about 1800, and still standing at this 
writing. Inaac Parker, 2nd, was born July 
30, 1805, and di-d June 12,1874. He had 
eight children as follows: 

1. Harriet Melinda, born Jan. 9, 1838; 
married Joseph Allen. 



2. William Jasper, born Sept. 17, 1^37; 
died at Portland .May 2.5, 1869. 

3. Mary Au:iusta, born Nov. 22, 1839. 

4. Dorothy Abby, born Dec. 6, 184J. 

5. Francis Colburn, born Jan. 9, 1814. 

6. Poarl Spofford, born Feb. 4, 1848. 

7. Augustus Granville, born July 10, 
185J. 

8. Henry Austin, born March 28, 1853. 

Mrs. Parker, mother of this family, died 
June 12, 1874. William Jasper, the second 
Bon, followed the s.-a and m^de a voyage 
before the mast in ship Electric Spark of 
which the writer wa.s master, from Boston 
to San Francisco in the 'GOs. 

Isaac Parker, the father, was a sailor, 
and rose to command a coasting vessel in 
early life, but gave it up after marriage, 
except an occasional trip, and settled 
down to the life of a farmer. He made 
the trip to Boston with the writer once in 
schooner "Edward" and again in the 
brig "Equator" when she was new, in 
1850, the writer being in command. 

Beyond the bounds of this farm on the 
highway is Bragdou's brook, where boys 
fished for trout sixty and seventy years 
ago, with twine for a line, bent pins for 
hooks and worms for bxit. It seems but 
yesterday to the writer that he was thus 
engaged, and he almost feels the thrill of 
satisfaction again that went through hia 
veins when he hooked and landed a tiny 
trout the like of which would require a 
dozen for a hungry bo}''8 breakfast. 

At the mouth of the brook where it 
empties into the bay, at smelting time 
in the spring of the year, they had better 
catches of larger fishes. The old school- 
house stood half way between the Srook 
and Clough s hill, on the right. That was 
the house moved to the Tide Mill district 
and burned as before related. 

The writer first attended school in the 
old house upon its original site, was pres- 
ent when it was moved, and remembers 
well as it was being hauled up the hill at 
Samuel Wood's th;it Robert Robertson, 
who was there, called out to the boys to 
"puss, boys, puss," meaning to push be- 
hind and help the oxen with their load. 
He was a Welchman by birth, and his 
articulation not always the clearest. 
"Puss, boys, puss," was a by-word among 
the school boys for a long time after the 
event here narrated. 



80 



HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF BLVEBILL, MAINE. 



Hera properly ends the description of 
ths Tile Mill district where the settle- 
ment of the town began and its early 
history centres, but we shall keep on, if all 
goes well, until we reach the village, and 
after that further consider the advisability 
of contiuuing the subject. 

The shore road to Parker's point and 
village, as now la' d out, did not exist, there 
being a foot path across fields and pas- 
tures only, and if required to go there by 
team, ox or horse, one turned off from the 
main road at or near Frederick Parker's 
barn to reach the point. 

Over the old path which followed the 
direction of the present road the boys of 
three score years ago traveled in search of 
acorns in the autumn, for "slivering" fir 
trees in spring and visiting Indian camps 
at Clough's shore. They had to climb 
over his fences or through bars in their 
progress. 

Penobscot Indians were in the habit of 
camping upon the shore in summer, where 
they shot seals, fished, and the squaws 
made and sold baskets. Some winters they 
remained at that locality, where the boys 
and young people of the town visited 
them, and were usually kindly received. 
The Indians were fond of stories and of 
songs, and the boy who could entertain 
them with either was a welcome guest to 
their camps. 

Their birch bark canoes, models of 
beauty,symmetry and lightness, were won- 
ders to the boys, as they examined them 
on the shore or saw them paddled grace- 
fully over the waters of the bay. The 
squaws were watched carefully as they 
dextrously .vove and formed their baskets 
of strips of ash wood colored to suit their 
fancy, while their "papooses" shyly eyed 
strangers and played their games and ca- 
ressed the dogs which had a place in every 
Indian camp. 

For the boys that frequented their 
camps they had names peculiar to their 
tongue and of recognized significance. 
One boy, with a florid complexion and 
very active, they gave the name of "Ma- 
ja-jag-a-nut", mea)ung "the red horse," 
and others had names given to!them quite 
as appropriate but not now held in mem- 
ory. They were an inoffensive folk, and 
were welcomed to the town by the people, 
among whom they freely mingled. 

The first house one saw on his way to 



the point was that of Robert Robertson, 
built about 1833, and still standing. Mr. 
Robertson was a sailor in his younger 
days, married his wife at Deer Isle, wh^re 
it is supposed his children were born, and 
then removed to the Tide Mill district, 
where he resided some years before build- 
ing this house and locating here. 

During the time of the "embargo", about 
1811, Robert Means was master, Stephen 
Norton, mate, Robert Robertson, Samuel 
Morse, jr., Wallace Hinckley, Lemuel E. 
D. Peters and Samuel R. Candage, the 
writer's father, were the crew of brig 
"Fern", the shipping articles for the same 
being in possession of the writer. Their 
companionship'was warm, true and most 
cordial through life, and when they met it 
was a treat to those who listened to the 
account of their sea life. 

The family record of Mr. Robertson 
is not found at Blue Hill, but the children 
were Jane Qrover, daughter of Mrs. Rob- 
ertson by a former husband, who married 
Zelotes Clough; Ann, who married Capt. 
Foster Hardin, and sons George, John, 
Robert and William. 

Mr. Robertson died many years ago, and 
his widow on March 29, 1855, aged seven- 
ty-four years. An account of the sons, 
George and John, has already been given, 
and their families. 

Robert was a sailor and was lost at sea 
while mate of brig "J. Randolph Mar- 
tin", Capt. Anson Darling, she never hav- 
ing been heard from after sailing from 
Rotterdam for Boston in 1844. He was not 
married. 

William M. Robertson, the youngest 
son of Robert, sr., married Elizabeth Jane 
Qrindle, daughter of Giles J. Grindle, by 
whom he had twelve children, viz. : Mary 
Ann, Jane Sophia, Robert H., William 
Stevens, Sarah Brown, Giles Edsley, Ad- 
dison Parker, Eduah Newella, Emma 
Frances, Franklin, Chase Meltiah and 
Hinckley Thomas. 

Shortly after his marriage in 1842, he 
built a house near his father's, where he 
lived up to the time of his death a few 
years ago at about eighty years of age. 
He was rich in children but poor in other 
ways. 

After the death of LCobert Robertson and 
wife, his house was occupied by Capt. 
Foster Hardin and family, whose wife was 



HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF liLVEIIlLL, MAIXE. 



31 



Ann Robertson, daughter of Robert Rob- 
ertson, sr., and wife; he dying in 1861. 

Capt. Fodtt-r ilarui i was a sailor and sea 
captain in early life, and married Ann 
Robertson Aug. 24, 182(3, both being re- 
corded at that time as of Sedgwick. Mi. 
Hardin died March 11, 1874, and Ann, his 
widow, February 1887, aged above eighty. 
Th-ir children were: 

1. Kdslcy .\ustin, born May 28, 1828. 

2. David F., born Dec. 26, 1829. 

3. George F., born Oct. 22, 1831; died 
Dec. 1831. 

4. Mary A., born Nov. 24, 1832; died 
Jan. 24, 1851. 

6. Hiram B., born Sept. 8, 1835. 

6. Eveline Darling, born July 24, 1837. 

7. John Robertson, born Sept. 6, 1839. 

8. Fran^'i-j Alphoaso, born Dec. 5, 1841; 
lost at sea in 1861. 

9. Robert Gilbert, born May 3, 18^15; 
died Dec. 16, 1864. 

10. Marcy, born. May 3, 1845; died July 
1845. 

11. Charles Albert, born Feb. 16. 1848. 
Francis Alphonso, the eighth child, of 

this family, was upon his second voyage 
round Cape Horn in the ship "Electric 
8park",undercommandof the writer, when 
he Aas lost overboard off the River de la 
Plata in 1861. He was a fine lad, gave 
promise of being a smart man; the writer 
loved him and mourned his loss as he 
would if he had been bis son. 

Since the death of Foster Hardin and 
wife, the place has been sold at least twice, 
and is now owned by Kneizel, the musical 
artist, except the old house and a small 
lot owned by David F. Harding, who lives 
in the house. 

The next plac and house was that of 
Samuel Hall, wno built the house now 
standing in the '33s or '40s of the last cen- 
tury, which is now owned by the heirs of 
Wolff Fries. Samuel Hall's wife was a 
daughter of George Choate, and the record 
of his family is as follows: 

Joanna, born Oct. 12, 1831. 

George Choate, born April 8, 1834. 

Rebecca, born May, 1837. 

Richard E., born Oct. 28, 1840. 

Mr. Hall sold his place in the '50s, and 
the family removed from the town. 

The next occupant of this house was 
.\ndrew Jackson Gray, who married 
Nancy E. Dodge, daughter of Capt. Mer- 



rill Dodge, July, 1852. She was born April 
6, 183J; he was born May 28, 1828. Their 
children were: 

•Vlbert, born May 22, 1865; died May 18, 
18*a. 

Alice Judson, born M rch 13, 1857. 

Annie Merrill, born Oct. 6, 1867. 

Herbert Brooks, born Dec. 8, 1871. 

At this house died .\ndrew Gray, father 
of Andrew Jackson Gray, Dec. 20, 1863, 
aged eighty-seven or eighty-eight years. 

The modt'rn houses and cottages of 
summer residents are not included in this 
account of early settlers and their hou:*c8, 
so that we pass on to the farm known 
now as 

PARKER'S POINT. 

This was taken up, cleared, buildings 
erected and farm cultivated by Isaac Par- 
ker, the eighth child of Peter and Phebe 
Marble Parker, born May 23, 1792. He 
married Hannah Carter, March 27, 182.3, 
and they had the following named chil- 
dren: 

1. Leander, born Jan. 15, 1825; died in 
New Orleans, Jan. 16, 1853. 

2. Simeon, born Nov. 16, 1827; died at 
Savannah, Oct. 27, 1852. 

3. Elvira, born Nov. 20, 1829; died 
August 5, 1838. 

4. Israel Wood, born Jan. 4, 1832; re- 
sides at Belfast, Me. 

5. Edwin, born Nov. 4, 1833. 

6. Addison, born Jan. 10, 1836. 

7. Asro, born June 23, 1839; died Jan. 1, 
1863. 

Mrs. Hannah Parker died June 3, 1865, 
and Isaac her husband May 16, 1877, aged 
ninety-five years. He was an industrious 
and frugal farmer. His farm, possessing a 
soil easily cultivated, was located on the 
point between the two bays, a spot not 
surpassed in beauty elsewhere in town, 
which has brought it into prominence as a 
summer cottage resort. 

The writer knew well both Mr. and 
Mrs. Parker, whose children were his 
schoolmates, and he often visited their 
home where it was his privilege aoa;e- 
times to remain over night. 

Mr. Parker was a gentlemanly man with 
pleasing manners which won for him the 
sobriquet of "Lord Isaac," and by which 
he was known throughout the town and 
vicinity. He was a meml)er of the church 
and punctual attendant upon the preach- 



32 



JIISTOJiJCAL UK ETCHES OF liLVElllLL, MAISE. 



ing of Father Fisher and his successors in 
tht; j)ulpit of the old and the new Congre- 
gational churches of the town. 

The writer well ren embers him at the 
old church where he brought his luri. h 
Bnd ate it between morning and afternoon 
Bervices, as was the custom of those living 
at a distance from the meeting house. 

One Sunday noon, during the life of the 
old meeting house, tha writer wich other 
boys went to the saw mill in the village to 
Bee a new turbine water wh^el that ha J 
been introduced there, and upoji return- 
ing from under the mill in passing over a 
pile of lumber a part gave away and he 
fell, striking upon his left arm breaking 
one of the bones above the wrist. 

He walked up to Dr. Tenny's house to 
have his arm set and splinted. Mr. Parker 
heard of the accident and came to the 
doctor's house to see about it, and was 
present when the broken bone was being 
Bet. As the doctor pulled and stroked the 
arm in setting, the patient winced and 
cried out in pain, and Mr. Parker, out of 
kindness of his heart, said, ^'Doctor, do be 
careful, for you must see how much you 
hurt the young gentleman." 

To be called a young gentleman was 
Balve to the feelings of the patient, and 
nearly neutralized the pain he was suffer- 
ing at the time. The arm was cared for, 
and the writer made his way home with it 
in a sling from which it was not freed for 
several weeks. 

After the death of Mr. Parker, his farm 
was sold to Mr. Sweet, who came from 
Salem, Mass. The old house has been re- 
modeled and placed upon another founda- 
tion, and much of the farm sold for sum- 
mer cottages. The cottages and owners 
upon the Parker farm which are modern, 
it is not the writer's intention to describe, 
he leaving that to be done by some one of 
the present dsy historians of the town. 

Passing on from Parker's point toward 
the village, sixty or more years ago, one 
would next come to a house and place 
then owned and known as the Charles 
Col born place. 

CHARLES COLBURN 

was a sailor in his younger days ; he was 
born in the town of Billerica, Mass., and 
came to Bluehill previous to 1829. He 
married Serena Parker, daughter of 
Marble and Hannah (Lovejoy) Parker, 
Oct. 15, 1829. She was born August 10, 



1799. He, fro far as the writer knows, 
built the house where he resided, prob- 
ably about the date of his marriage. The 
children of Charles and Sirena Colburn 
were as foUovVs: 

1. Hannah Jane, born June 25, 1831; 
married a Mr. Kims. 

2. Eliza Ann, born August 6, 183i. 

3. Charles Henry, born April 24, 1836; 
married in Massachus^tt . 

4. Mary Frances, born April 24, 1836. 
Mr. Colburn and family removed from 

this place to Kast Boston in the '408 
where he carried on the business of team- 
ster. He, his wife and children are all 
dead, he and his wife dying at an ad- 
vanced age. Hannah Jane and Charles 
Henry married, but neither are said to 
have left children. 

The next OAner and occupant of the 
Colburn place was Jonah Dodge, who, 
with his family, resided there for some 
years. He was a brother of Capts. Merrill 
and Ezra Dodge, son of Jonah Dodge, of 
Sedgwick, who married Susan, daughter 
of Moses Carleton, May 3, 1826. She was 
born July 4, 1805; died Feb. 28, 1878, in 
her seventy-third year. He died Feb. 20, 
1878, aged seventy-six years. Their chil- 
dren were as follows: 

1. Mary Ann Webster, born March 18, 
1827. 

2. Edward Ellis, born Feb. 24, 1829. 

3. Sarah Elizabeth, born May 8, 1831. 

4. Hannah Maria, born Oct. 8, 1834. 

5. Susan Ellen, born June 13, 1836. 

6. Augusta, born Sept. 30, 1838. 

7. Francis Judson, born July 15, 1840. 

8. Adelaide, born May 17, 1843. 

9. Charles Michael, born May 16, 1846. 

10. Henry Austin, born Nov. 26, 1849; 
died March 30, 1867. 

Mr. Dodge and family removed from 
this to the Nathan Ellis house in the vil- 
lage, where now stands the new town hall, 
and where he and his wife both died. He 
was an influential member and deacon of 
the Blue Hill Baptist church. 

The Colburn house had no permanent 
occupant after the Dodge family left it, 
and it fell into decay and was pulled 
down. The land is now owned by sum- 
mer residents, upon which is being built a 
fine house on a part of it, the balance be- 
ing in use for golf and other games. The 
view of the mountain, village and across 



HISTOIiWAL SKETCHES OF BLUEniLL, MAINE. 



S3 



the inner bay from that locality is one of 
the tlnost in the town. 

Next to the Colburn-DodRe place is the 
old wharf fallin^^ into decay, where t^sbing 
vessels once landed their catches and dried 
them upon flakes near by, and where later 
was the tlrst steamboat landing in the 
town. 

Passing on past the "Granger Mine" and 
''Lover's I^ap", one arrives at the Dodge 
house and farm, the house upon it having 
been built by Reuben Dodge, son of Jonah 
Dodge, born at Beverly, Mass., Nov. 18, 
1711, who came to Bluehill in June, 1784, 
and died in the town in 1788. His first 
wife was Mary Edwards, born March 
7, 1719; married Feb. 22, 1737; died July 30, 
1761. Children by her born at Beverly 
were as follows: 

1. Jonah, born Nov. 19, 1738. 

2. Abraham, born Feb. 4, 1741; died 
July 28, 1741. 

3. Benoni, born Feb. 4, 1741; died July 
23, 1741. 

4. Abner, born March 6, 1743; resided in 
Sedgwick; died Dec. 29, 1831. 

5. Mary, born July 5, 1745; died July 21, 
1767. 

6. Abigail, born Sept. 16, 1750; married 
Simeon Dodge, of Waltham, Mass. 

7. Benjamin, born March 19, 1753; died 
Nov., 1784. 

8. Sarah, born Sept. 29, 1756; died Oct. 
12, 1764. 

9. Abraham, born April 5, 1760. 

Mr. Dodge married, second, Sarah 
Thorndike, May 29, 1770; she was born 
Dec. 21, 1731 ; died April 12, 1809. Children 
by the latter marriage were: 

10. John Prince, born Aug. 21,* 1771 ; 
died July 21, 1827. 

11. Reuben, born Feb. 19, 1773; married 
Sally Peters, daughter of John Peters, ebq., 
.Ian. 16, 1797; she was born Feb. 2, 1780; died 
Sept. 19, 1850, aged seventy years. He 
died Dec. 16, 1830, aged fifty-seven years 
and ten months. He was town clerk for 
twenty- four years; a selectman thirty- 
one years; treasurer fifteen years, 
and one of the foremost citizens of the 
town. He is supposed to have built the 
house now standing at the b»ginning of 
IHOO, in which ho and his wife resided 
until their death, and in which the foUow- 
in?-namjd children were born to them: 

1. .\ddi»on, born Feb. 26, 1799 ;,died Sept. 
4,1806. 



2. Charlotte, born Feb. 25, 1800; married 
Isaac Somes, of Mt. Desert. 

3. Lucretia, born Feb. 6, 1802; married 
Salvin P. Jordan. 

4. Elvira, born April 17, ISOi; married 
Jeremiah Nichols. 

6. Sally Prince, born Dec. 12, 1806; mar- 
ried first, Capt Moses Clough; second, 
Weston Merritt. 

6. Addison, born Jan. 16, 1809; married 
Mary Newell; drowned in Union river 
June 27, 18&4. 

7. Julia, born Nov. 22, 1810; married 
William P. Abbott; moved to Illinois. 

8. .Mary Peters, born March .23, 1813; 
died Oct. 25, 1815. 

9. Reuben George Washington, born 
March 15, 1815; married first, Betsey J. 
Cheever; second, Laguira Morgan; third, 
Caroline A Allen. He died May 29, 1886. 

10. Mary Peters, born April 24, 1817, 
married Dr. Lyman Hall. 

11. Almira Ellis, born Sept. 4, 1819; 
married 1st Mr. Lord; 2nd George Somes. 

12. Emily Walker, born August 25, 
1821; married John Langdon and; died 
Dec. 1, 1870. 

13. Harriet Maria, born Feb. 23, 1824. 

Reuben George Washington Dodge suc- 
ceeded his father in occupmncy and owner- 
ship of the house and place. He was an 
infiuential citizen of the town, interested 
in shipbuilding, in historical and genea- 
logical research, etc., etc. He built the 
bark "Antioch" upon the shore near his 
residence owned at Cattine, Boston, and 
went to California, where she was sold and 
ran in the lumber trade for some years and 
afterwards wrecked. The bark "R. G. W. 
Dodge" was named for him, in which he 
was part owner, and he was also interested 
in other vessels. 

By his first wife, Betsey Jackson, he had 
four children, as follows: 

1. Agnes Ilanette, born Dec. 1, 1849, 
died March 22, 1859. 

2. Anna Gardner, born Jan. 17, 1852; 
married a Mr. Sawtelle; resides at Haver- 
hill, Mass. • 

3. Sarah E. S., born Nov. 13, 1853. 

4. George A., born June 16, 1856. 
Child of Laguira Morgan, Be<'ond wife: 

6. Agnes L., born May 30, 1859. 
Children of Caroline A. Allen, third 
wife: 
6. Amy Maud, bom March 1, 1866. 



34 



HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF BLUEHILL, MAINE. 



7. Cora, born Nov. 10, 1867. 

8. Ernest Fitz Allen, born Jan. 29, 1870. 

9. Carrie McNair, born April 1, 187- . 
Mrs. Betsey Jackson Dodge died April 

7, 1857; Mrs. Laguira Dodge Sept. 4, 1859, 
and Mrs. Carrie Allen Dodge a few years 
ago. R. G. W. Dodge died, as before 
stated. May 30, 1886. The house and place 
are still owned by the Dodge heirs, who 
use the house a few months each year as a 
summer place. This completes the de- 
scription of the old places along the shore 
road from the Falls district to the village, 
the other houses to the corner of Main 
street being of modern design and build. 

THE CLOUGH AND FREDERICK PARKER 
NEIGHBORHOOD. 

Upon the right side of Clough's hill 
stood for many years a story-and-half- 
house painted red, with barn and out- 
buildings, owned by Asa Clough, sr., and 
built by him when he first came to the 
town about 1795, and torn down twenty- 
five or more years ago. 

Asa Clough was born at Haverhill, 
Mass., Aug. 25, 1764; died Jan. 2, 1851, in 
his eighty-seventh year. He married 
Abigail Pecker, Nov, 27, 1789. She was 
born at Bradford, Mass., Nov. 27, 1766, and 
died March 16, 1854, in her eighty-eighth 
year. They had a family of ten children, 
as follows : 

1. Daniel, born April 11, 1790; married 
Polly Tenney. 

2. Cheever Russell, born July 20,1792; 
lost at sea when a young man. 

3. Sally, born Nov. 5, 1794 ; married first 
Benjamin Clay; second John Osgood. 

4. John, born Jan. 27, 1797; married 
Jane Limeburner. 

5. Asa, born Jan. 8, 1799; married first 
Abigail Sinclair; second Louis Ray, 

6. Leonard, born Sept. 3, 1801 ; married 
Mary Jane Wood. 

7. James, born Sept. 3, 1803; married 
Mary Marshall Carman. 

8. Lydia, born Oct. 22, 1805; married 
Putnam Ingalls. 

9. Zelotes, born Nov. 24, 1807; married 
Jane Grover. 

10. Louisa, born Sept. 27, 1811; married 
Isaac Merrill. 

Asa Clough, sr., was a farmer owning a 
large farm upon both sides of the main 
road extending from the line of the Wood 
farms to that of Jeremiah Stover on the 



west, and to his son Daniel's on the east, 
amounting to more than a hundred acres. 
He was ha'-dworking and industrious, as it 
was necessary for one to be with a family 
of ten children, and his sons were like 
him in habits of industry. 

Nearly opposite his house his son 
Zelotes built a house previous to 1840, 
where he resided and reared a family of 
twelve children. His wife's maiden name 
was Jane Grover, to whom he was married 
Oct. 1, 1831. She was the daughter of the 
wife of Robert Robertson, sr., by a former 
husband, and resided with the Robertson 
family until her marriage. When the 
writer was born she nursed his mother. 
She then was living with her mother's 
family in the house that stood in the 
upper part of the field of the writer's 
father, afterwards moved and joined to 
his house as an L, as previously related. 
Mrs. Clough was fond of calling the writer 
her boy, from the above circumstance. 

Zelotes Clough carried on his father's 
farm, and was a hardworking, good- 
natured man, whom the boys of the 
neighborhood were fond of and he of 
them. The writer can never forget the 
corn-huskings at his place and the many 
pleasant evenings spent at his house in 
the years of long ago when he and his 
wife were in their prime, surrounded by a 
young and growing family of children, 
the names of whom were as follows: 

1. George Russ?ll, born Nov. 11, 1832; 
lost at sea in 1853. 

2. Mary Susan, born Feb. 18, §1834; died 
at Chelsea, Mass., Aug., 1874. 

3. Erastus Parker, born Jan. 3, 1836. 

4. Alvaro Jewett, born Dec. 8, 1837. 

5. Robert Bruce, born July 25, 1840; 
died at Callas, Peru, March, 1869. 

6. Leonard Foster, born Dec. 26, 1841. 

7. Ruby Ann, born June 27, 1843; died 
at Chelsea, Mass., Feb. 12, 1867. 

8. Minerva Brown, born March 4, 1845. 

9. Edgar, born Jan. 5, 1847. 

10. Parker Granville, born Jan. 14, 1849. 

11. Charlotte Gordon, born Feb. 25, 1851. 

12. Georgiana, born Jan. 9, 1854. 

Mr. and Mrs. Clough lived to reach 
more than four score years. Their house 
is still standing. 

The next house to that of Zelotes Clcagh 
was of two stories, with a square roof, 
owned and built by Jeremiah Stover. He 



niSTOmCAL SKETCHES OF BLUEHTLL. MAINE. 



35 



was born in Penobscot Dec. 5, 1770; came 
to Blue Hill a young man, built the house 
referred to bofore 1800. He married, Dec. 
16, 1793, Abigail Devoreux. She was born 
Nov. 11, 1770. and died Jan. 8, 18.>t, in her 
eightj'-fourth year. Her husband died 
March 16, 1821, in his llfth-fourth year. 
He was a farmer and tanner and currier. 
The family consisted of nine children, as 
follows: 

1. Lois Hibbert, born April 20, 17W; 
died June 19, 1837. 

2. Abigail, born May 24, 1796; married 
Moses Pillsbury. 

3. Jonathan, born Oct. 15, 1798; died 
Jan. 27, 1872. 

4. Hannah, born March 15, 1801; mar- 
ried Capt. Joshua Norton. 

5. Newton, born Aug. 23, 1803; married 
Lois Dodge, of Sedgwick. 

6. Jeremiah, horn April 9, 1808; married 
Louisa Lord. 

7. Lydia, born July 16, 1808; married 
Herrick Allen. 

8. Cynthia, born March 22, 1811; died 
Oct. 16, 1812. 

9. Martha Lather, born Oct. 23, 1814; 
married Elvira Hopkins. 

Jeremiah Stover, head of this family, 
died, and the house and place continued 
to be occupied by his widow and son 
Jeremiah, he succeeding to his father's 
business of farmer and tanner. 

Jeremiah, jr., pulled down the old house 
and erected upon its site, about 1840, the 
house now standing. Mr. Stover was not 
a first-class currier, his leather losing in 
snow water its color and turning gray, 
which led Robert Robertson, sr., to call it 
"Jerry's tripe". Before his death he gave 
up that branch of business, and devoted 
himself to farming. The farm was upon 
the west side of the road between Asa 
Clough and John Clough, and not of large 
dimensions. The family of Jeremiah 
Stover, jr., consisted of nine children, as 
follows : 

1. Jonathan, born Nov. 25, 183^1; died 
Dec. 1867. 

2. Sarah Eliza, born Oct. 28, 1836; died 
Jan. 7, 1860. 

3. Albion Paris, born April 8, 18-tO; died 
March 7, 1860. 

4. Harlan Page, born .\pril 8, 1840. 

5. Newton, born April 8, 18-12. 

6. George GUbert, born Dec. 6, 1847. 



7. Byron Varnura, born April 15, 1849. 

8. Frank Wellington, born March 3, 
1850. 

9. Ida M., born Dec. 20, 1865. 
Jeremiah Stover died Jan. 14, 1882, aged 

seventy-six years, and his wife, Loiiisa 
Lord, died Nov. 16, 186C. The housa and 
place are still owned and occupied by 
members of the Stover family. 
THK DANIEL CLOUGH HOUSE AND PLACE 
upon the east side of the highway and 
nearly opposite the Stover place is the next 
in order to be described. Daniel Clough 
was the first child of Asa and Abigail 
(Pecker) Clough born April 11, 1790; mar- 
ried Polly, eldest daughter of Dr. Nathan 
and Mary (Carleton) Tenney, May 24, 
1818. She was born April 3, 1797; died Dec. 
8, 185S; he died April 2, 1867, aged seventy- 
seven years. He was a sea captain in his 
younger years and commanded among 
other vessels the three-masted schooner 
"Magnolia" built at Bluchill in 1833, the 
second vessel of that rig known. In after 
life he gave attention to the management 
of his farm. The house he lived in was 
built by him about the time of his mar- 
riage, say about 1820, and is still 
standing, in good repair, and occupied by 
his youngest son, Charles Carroll Clough 
and family, who also own the farm of his 
grandfather, Asa Clough. The children 
of Capt. Daniel and Polly (Teuuey) 
Clough were: 

1. Caroline, born Nov. 30, 1818; married 
Capt. William Walker, half brother of the 
writer, June 2-1, 1838. 

2. Mary Tenney, born Nov. 1, 1820; 
married George W. Brown Jan. 11, 1840 
and died at Ellsworth in 1852. 

3. David Daniel, born Feb. 26, 1826; re- 
moved to Portland where he was twice 
married, his two wives dying, leaving no 
children; he died a few years ago. 

4. Augustine Washington, born Oct. 9, 
1831; was a captain in the War of the Re- 
l)ellion; married at Portland in 1865; had 
two daughters; he and wife died a few 
j-cars since at Everett, Mass. 

Charles Carroll, born July 7, 1837; mar- 
ried Emeline S., daughter of Johnson WooU, 
May 24, 1859; they had three children 
born to them, viz: -Harriet Gertrude, Feb. 
28, 1861; Bessie Carroll, Sept. 2, 1872; 
Daisey Lou, Dec. 22, 1878. 

The house and family of Capt. Daniel 



36 



HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF BLUEHILL, MAINE. 



Clough were familiar to the writer in boy- 
hood, for beside a marriage relation, David 
Daniel was near his age, his schoolmate 
playmate and intimate friend, which 
threw them much into each other's com- 
pany and formed a lasting friendship 
which only death was able to sever. 

Capt. Clough played the flageolet, which 
was a source of pleasure to the boys who 
had an ear or fancy for music. The halls, 
rooms and chambers of that house carry 
the writer back to the years of his child- 
hood, and with the eye of memory he 
sees the occupants as they were then, and 
with the ear of imagination he hears their 
voices in conversation and the sound of 
the hautboy mingling their musical notes 
of gladness. 

THE NEWTON STOVER HOUSE AND PKA.CE, 

a little farther along, and upon the other 
side of the highway, is the next to claim 
attention. It was built by Newton Stover, 
the son of Jeremiah, sr., about 1831, and 
was originally plastered upon the outside 
instead of being clapboarded, but finding 
in after years that plaster did not stand 
the climate well, it was clapboarded over. 

Newton Stover's wife was a daughter of 
"Deputy" Dodge, of Sedgwick, whom he 
married in 1831. They resided in this 
house ten or more years, and then removed 
to Sedgwick village, where Mr. Stover 
continued to reside untU his death at an 
advanced age. 

In this house his first child, Almira 
Emily, was born March 11, 1832. Whether 
they had other children or not the record 
is silent, and the writer does not know. 

Mr. Stover was a member of the Baptist 
church, as were all the Stover's of that 
family, and essentially a religious man. 
He was the writer's teacher in the Sunday 
school held in the schoolhouse at the Tide 
MUls, and the writer can testify to his 
earnestness and zeal in that work. The 
tones of his voice, the expression of his 
face and the earnestness with which he 
applied the scripture lessons in his teach- 
ings, rise up in the mind of the writer, as 
proof of what he aimed to do for his class. 

Capt. Jerry Jones is remembered by 
the writer as the next occupant of the 
house after Mr. Stover moved with his 
family to Sedgwick. Capt. Jones was a 
sea- faring man, born in Brooksville, mar- 
ried a daughter of Thomas Lymburner 
and came to Blue Hill to reside that his 



wife might be near to her sister, Mrs. 
John Clough, when he was away at sea. 

Capt. Jones lived here a number of years, 
just how many the writer cannot say. 
After him others occupied the house, and 
in 1859 Mrs. Caroline Walker and her two 
children, when the writer spent a few 
weeks there with her. 

The house is stUl standing and occupied, 
but by whom the writer does not know, 
as it is the old residents and houses of the 
town that he is engaged in describing. 
THE CAPT. EZRA DODGE PLACE, 

opposite the last described, now claims 
attention. Capt. Dodge was the son of 
Jonah Dodge, of Sedgwick, and brother 
of Merrill and Jonah already spoken of. 
He was a sailor and sea captain, and in 
early manhood made a voyage in a ship as 
a foremast hand from Boston to Canton, 
China, and return, in the days when men 
who had made China voyages were few as 
compared with later years. 

Hearing him recite what he saw, caused 
the writer when a boy to resolve to make 
a voyage to that country when he became 
a man. The writer was cook with him for 
a trip or two in the old sloop "Fame", 
with wood cargoes for the lime- kilns at 
Rockland, and knew Capt. Dodge as a 
kindly and honorable man. 

Capt. Dodge married Deborah Curtis, of 
Newbury Neck, and came to Blue Hill to 
reside in the '30s, at about which time he 
built the house in question. Old houses, 
like persons, have an individuality of 
their own, and were tney empowered with 
speech, what interesting stories they 
could tell of the lives and characters of 
their occupants! The children of Ezra 
and Deborah (Curtis) Dodge were: 

1. Roscoe, born July 26, 1837; died July 
24,1838. 

2. Jane Medora, born March 27, 1839. 

3. Roscoe Green, born July 10, 1841; 
died in the army July, 1862. 

4. Flora Ann, born Sept. 7, 1843; died 
Jan. 16, 1871, at Surry. 

5. Ezra Curtis, born March 8, 1846. 

6. Azor Colon, born July 6, 1848. 

7. David Solon, born Aug. 29, 1850; died 
Sept. 11, 1889. 

8. Eugene Howard, born Sept. 18, 1854; 
died Aug. 1, 1858. 

Capt. Ei.ra Dodge died Oct. 17, 1875, and 
his widow July 20, 1876. So far as the 



TTTSTOnrCAL SKETCHES OF BLUE HILL, MAIXE. 



:n 



writer is aware, the house and place are 
owned and occupied by their children at 
this writing, 1905. 

THE JOHN CLOron PLACE, 
on the west side of the highway, is the 
next to claim attention. The John Clough 
house was built by him in 1822, the year 
of his marriage to Jane Limehurncr, of 
Brooksville, and in it he and his wife took 
up their residence when married, as it had 
been completed and furnished in antici- 
pation of that event. It is still standing. 
John Clough was the fourth child of Asa 
Clough, sr., born Jan. 27, 1797; a stone 
mason and farmer. He was for many years 
a highway surveyor of the town, and ac- 
counted to be a good builder and repairer 
of roads and highways. 

The children of John and Jane (Lime- 
burner) Clough were as follows: 

1. Rufus, born Dec. 30, 1823. He was a 
sailor and sea captain, married Margaret 
Parker, foster sister of the writer. He 
was drowned in San Francisco, Cal., in 
1855, by falling through a hole in the 
wharf. 

2. Joanna Allen, born Nov. 8, 1825; mar- 
ried first, Capt. Peter Powers, of Deer Isle; 
second, Asa Hutchinson, of the noted 
Hutchinson family singers; third, a Mr. 
Bittenbender, of Chicago, III., where she 
died in 1S97, leaving three children by her 
first husband. She, Almira Wood and 
the writer were rivals in school at spelling 
in the days when the spelling classes 
stood in a row in front of the teacher's 
desk, taking their placee in the class ac- 
cording to their proficiency and rank in 
spelling, and one of the three was usually 
at the head with the other two next in the 
line. 

3. Julia Ann Limeburner, born Jan. 21, 
1829; married Hiram Jones; had no chil- 
dren and died in California. 

4. Ashman J., born May 30, 1829; mar- 
ried Sarah B. daughter of Ira Witham. 
He was a sea captain, lost at sea while mas- 
ter of the ship "Romance of the Seas" on 
a voyage from China to San Francisco in 
1864; the ship not toeing heard from after 
leaving China. 

5. Maria Louise, born March 5, 1831; 
married Otis Witham Nov. 8, 1857, son of 
Ira and removed to California. 

6. Margaret Jane, born March 9, 1833; 
died August 14, 1834. 



7. John Russell, born May 26, 1838; 
married Hatlie V. Darling, daughter of 
Col. William H. Darling; he died a few 
years ago. 

John Clough, father of these children, 
died Oct. 13, 18S3, aged eighty-six years 
and ten months, and Jane, his wife, died 
Aug. 12, 1881, agod about eighty years. 

The John Clough house is still owned by 
his descendants, and there stands near it a 
small house built for and occupied by his 
youngest son and family before the death 
of the parents. 

Hiram Jones, who married Julia A. L. 
Clough, was a sailor and sea captain, who 
lived at one time with his wife's father 
and after that in the Newton Stover house 
near by. He died April 30, 1853. 

THE MOSES CARLETON PLACE, 
on the other side of the road, nearly op- 
posite the John Clough house, is the next 
to be described. Whether Moses Carle- 
ton built the house or not the writer can- 
not state positively, but he and his family 
lived there after removing from the Allen 
neighborhood, about 1830, to the time of 
his death in October, 1838, aged seventy- 
nine years. As his family record and his- 
tory has previously been given, further 
remarks thereon are not needed here. 

Jonah Dodge and family lived in this 
house for a few years before and after the 
death of Mr. Carleton, and then removed 
to the Colburn place on the shore of the 
"Little Bay" as already described. 

The next occupant of the house was 
Capt. Samuel P. Holt, son of Samuel P. 
and Lydia (Lowell) Holt, born Sept. 13, 
1820. He married Mary Jane, daughter of 
Joseph jr., and Phebe (Holt) Osgood, 
Aug. 29, 1844. She was born Jan. 28, 1820; 
died June 4, 1851. 

He was brought up by his grandfather, 
Jedediah Holt. He went to sea and be- 
came master of several Blue Hill vessels, 
and died at the Sailors' Snug Harbor, 
Staten Island, New York, fifteen or twen- 
ty years ago. His children, born in this 
house, were Frank, born April 10, 1845, 
and Mary Jane, born March 31, 1850. After 
the death of his wife, Capt. Holt vacated 
the house and it was bought and occupied 
by Ingerson Mclntirc, son of Jeremiah 
and Lydia (Knowles) Mclntire. 

He was born Dec, 11, 1822; married, 
first, Elizabeth Cousins, by whom he had 



38 



HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF BLUEHILL, MAINE. 



a son Frank, born March 5, 1852. He imr- 
ried, second, Mehitabie Varnum, who 
bore him four children, viz.: Edward W., 
born Sept. 22, 1858; a son, Sept. 7, 1860 and 
a daughter same date, both of whom died 
in infancy, and Harvey Howard born July 
9, 1862. 

Mr. Mclntire took down the old house, 
and built upon its site the two-story 
house now standing and occupied by his 
son and family. 

The writer remembers Mr. and Mrs. 
Morse Carleton, their daughter Polly and 
son Samuel, Jonah Dodge, wife and chil- 
dren, Capt. Samuel P. Holt and wife and 
Ingerson Mclntire, all occupants of this 
place and all gone to their rest. 

He remembers, too, the yellow birch 
trees standing by the roadside just north 
of the house, which in the summer of 
1904 appeared to him about as they did 
seventy or more years ago when he was a 
lad, and he thought of the surrounding 
changes while they seemed to preserve 
their vitality. 

THE JOHNSON WOOD PLACE 
is the next to claim attention and a de- 
scription, i'he house was built by John- 
son Wood sometime between 1830 and 
1835. Mr. Wood was the son of Robert 
Haskell and Mary (Coggins) Wood, and 
was born July 26, 1790; his father having 
been the son of Joseph Wood, the first 
settler of the town. 

Johnson Wood married Hannah F. 
Peters, Jan. 24, 1827, daughter of Jeremiah 
and Sally Peters. She was born Nov. 19, 
1806, and died Nov. 5, 1870. He died Aug. 
31, 1861, aged seventy-one years. The 
names and births of their children were 
as follows: 

1. Harriet Augusta, born Nov. 26, 1827; 
died Nov. 30, 1857. 

2. Maria Flint, born Sept. 12, 1829. 

3. Reuben Dodge, bom March 31, 1832; 
married Nancy A. Carleton. 

4. Sarah Peters, born April 17, 1836; 
married Henry F. Peters. 

5. Emeline S., born April 23, 1838; mar- 
ried Charles Conuell Clough. 

6. Abby S., born Nov. 28, 1840. 

7. Haskell J., born Feb. 8, 1844. 

8. Henry H., born Aug. 6, 1846. 

9. Clara A., born Oct. 14, 1849. 
Johnson Wood was a mason and brick- 
layer, a worthy, industrious and upright 



man. Since his death the place has re- 
mained in possession of of his children. 

THE FREDERICK PARKER PLACE 
is the next in order, with a large, square, 
two-story house upon the left of the road 
with a fine lawn in front; the barn, now 
gone, stood on the opposite side of the 
road. Just when this house was built is 
not known to the writer, but it was prob- 
ably as early as 1820. 

The farm connected with the house and 
barn extended on both sides of the main 
road for some distance, and was probably 
that of Robert Parker, Frederick's father, 
who came to the town from Andover, 
Mass., about 1765. 

Robert Parker was born March 13, 1745; 
married Ruth, daughter of Joseph Wood, 
the first settler, Nov. 29, 1773. She was 
born in Beverly, Mass., Dec. 18, 1753; died 
Jan. 20, 1825, aged seventy-two years. Her 
husband died Feb. 12, 1818, aged seventy- 
three years. He was a brother of Peter 
Ezra and Col. Nathan Parker. The chil- 
dren of Robert Parker were: 

1. Samuel, born March 9, 1774; married 
first, Lydia Parker; second, Mary 
Mathews. 

2. Nabby, born Jan. 6, 1776; died Dec. 
19, 1781. 

3. Moses, born Feb. 1, 1778 ; died Aug. 
13, 1801. 

4. Robert, born Feb. 3, 1781; died Dec. 
19, 1781. 

5. Robert, born Dec. 1, 1782; died at sea. 

6. Simeon, born July 24, 1785; married 
Lydia Faulkner Stevens. 

7. Frederick, born Oct. 30, 1788; mar- 
ried Harriet Haskell. 

8. Nabby, born March 12, 1792; married 
Robert Haskell Wood. 

9. Edith, born March 3, 1795; married 
Stephen Holt. 

Frederick Parker was the seventh child 
of Robert and Ruth (Wood) Parker, of 
the family above, born Oct. 30, 1788, and 
died April 6, 1867, aged seventy-eight 
years, five months and six days. He mar- 
ried Harriet Haskell, born in Beverly, 
Mass., March 1, 1793, on April 18, 1818. 
She died May 1, 1877, aged eighty- four 
years and two months. Their children 
were: 

1. Sarah Ellingwood, born April 23, 
1820, 



IIISTOniCAL SKETCHES OF BLUEIIILL, MAINE. 



39 



2. Harriot Maria, born Juue2, 1822; died 
June 27, 1879. 

3. Andrew Haskell, born May 11, 182-1; 
moved to Rockland. 

4. Abigail Sinclair, born Dec. 9, 1827; 
married and lived in Boston. 

5. Mary Ann Haskell, born Oct. 6, 1829; 
married and lived in Boston. 

6. Robert Harlow, born Jan. 14, 1835. 
Frederick Parker was a farmer and a 

worthy man. Ho and his family were well 
known to the writer in his youth. After 
his death the place was sold to Fred A. 
Fisher, and was occupied some years by 
Kev. Mr. Tripp a Baptist clergyman. It 
lay idle after that until bought and put in 
repair by Mrs. Kline, of Cleveland, O., 
whose sister and family use it for a sum- 
mer home. 

THE GEORQE CHOATE PLACE, 

a half mile west in the rear of the Fred- 
erick Parker house, is the next to be con- 
sidered and described. That place lay 
away from the main road, and was reached 
by following a cart-path across field or 
pasture of Mr. Parker, through gates and 
bars. It consisted of a one-story house, 
painted red, a small barn and a few acres 
of land. Whether Mr. Choate built the 
house or that it is still standing the writer 
does not know. [This house was supposed 
to have been built by a Mr. Davis.] 

Mr. Choate was born in New bury port, 
Mass., about 1778, learned the trade of 
house carpenter and joiner, and went to 
Deer lale, where he married and resided 
previous to his occupancy of this place. 
He came to Blue Hill prior to 1810; died in 
1858, aged eighty or over, and his wife died 
in 1862, aged eighty or over. 

Their children, consisting of one son 
and several daughters, were born at Deer 
Isle. The son, named George, died in 
childhood; one daughter married Amos 
Carter, another married Samuel Hall, the 
youngest married Abel Towne, and an- 
other daughter married and lived at Deer 
Isle. 

Mr. Choate was an original man in his 
sayings, and sometimes irreverent, 
although kindly, withal. He called Long 
Island "the Land of Promise". When 
asked why he thus called it, he replied: 
"Because the people there promise but 
never pay". 

One day, in speaking of eating lamprey 
eels, Mr. Choate said, with much disgust. 



"Eat lamprey eels! I would just as soon 
eat a piece of a man who had been dead 
six weeks." 

The boys sometimes dulled his sawB and 
tools by using them without permission, 
HO he said to them, "Boys, if I catch you 
dulling my tools I'll make a burnt sacrifice 
of you!" 

He was an early riser, often up at 2 
o'clock in the morning, saying that four 
or five hours sleep was all he required. 
He built a barn for the writer's father 
somewhere about 1838, and he would walk 
from his house while doing so and be on 
hand for breakfast at 5 o'clock. 

One morning, breakfast being ready, 
the mother of the writer said in his hear- 
ing, "I wish the boj-s would get up and 
eat breakfast with us while it is nice and 
warm." "Leave that to me," said Mr. 
Choate. He went to the foot of the 
chamber stairs and shouted, "Come down 
here, quick, boys, the back room is all on 
fire!" The boys, of whom the writer was 
one, jumped out of bed and ran down in 
their night clothes to find their parents 
and Mr. Choate seated in the dining-room 
without showing any anxiety or alarm. 

When asked where the fire was, Mr 
Choate answered, quietly: "In the fire- 
place, boys!" The boj's went back to 
their beds muttering imprecations upon 
Mr. Choate, but finally took it good- 
naturedly as a Choate joke. 

The writer was a favorite with Mr. 
Choate on account of his name and age, 
which corresponded with those of his 
dead son George. He on more than one 
occasion helloed him plough, plant, and 
hoe his garden, on which occasions he 
would have the help of his "hired man"— 
a jug of New England rum. With all his 
jokes and eccentricities, Mr. Choate was a 
favorite with j'oung people, and he was 
fond of their company and society. Peace 
to his ashes! 

THE P.VUKER DISTRICT SCHOOLHOUSE 

stood upon Parker land beyond the old 
barn upon the east side of the main road, 
built before 1840, and still standing. In it 
the writer attended winter schools for 
several sessions, as it was the custom for 
scholars of that and of the Tide Mill dis- 
trict to go from one to the other. 

In that schoolhouse, too, the writer 
attended at evening a .school of music 



40 



HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF BLUEHILL, MAINE. 



taught by Mr. Davidson, where his first 
lesson was received upon the violin, an 
instrument he has been fond of through 
life. 

THE JAMES CLOUGH PLACE 

is the next to be described, with a black- 
smith shop on the east and house on the 
west side of the road, adjoining the Fred- 
erick Parker farm. This house was built 
prior to 1840 by Mr. CJough, in which his 
family and he resided until his death. 

He was the seventh child of Asa, sr., 
and Abigail (Pecker) Clough, born Sept. 
3, 1803. He married Mary Marshall Car- 
man, of Deer Isle. He died Feb. 7, 18S3, 
in his eightieth year. He was a black- 
smith and shipsmith, and in the earlier 
years of his married life resided at Deer 
Isle, but moved back to Blue Hill before 
1836. There were six children born to him, 
as follows : 

1. James Russell, born July 4, 1826; 
never married; died when over seventy. 

2. Mary Ann Moore, born July 27, 1828; 
married Robert W. Armour. 

3. Caroline Elizabeth, born Feb. 27, 
1831. 

4. Martha Haskell, born Oct. 22, 1833; 
married Alfred Stillman Osgood. 

5. Harriet Webb, born Jan. 7, 1836; 
died July 20, 1838. 

6. Harriet Webb, born June 15, 1839. 

7. Charles Abbott, born April 13, 1842; 
died July, 1845. 

8. Charles Merrill, born June 25, 1848. 

Mr. Clough and wife were joUy and fond 
of company, especially of young people. 
James Russell, their eldest child, worked 
with his father as a helper at the forge 
and anvil, living at home until the death 
of his parents. The blacksmith shop has 
long been gone from its site, but the 
house is still standing and occupied, but 
probably by strangers to its former own- 
ers and occupants. 

James Clough and his son did the iron- 
work of brig "Equator", built at the Tide 
Mills in 1850, and commanded by the 
writer. He was of a sunny nature and 
something of a joker. At the death of a 
brother-in-law many years ago he re- 
marked that "a death in the family had 
its favorable feature, as it enabled rela- 
tives to procure a new suit of clothes to 
wear at the funeral." 



THE ANNIE WOOD PLACE. 

was a little farther beyond the James 
Clough place, upon the east side of the 
road, which the writer well remembers, 
though gone from its foundation for more 
than sixty years. When and by whom it 
was built the writer does not pretend to 
know. 

Annie Wood was the daughter of Israel 
Wood, sr., and granddaughter of Joseph 
Wood, the first settler. She was born 
near the Tide Mills, Dec. 24, 1776; was a 
tailoress, never married, and resided in 
the old house above mentioned with her 
niece, Sally Savage, until her death by 
consumption in 1841. 

She did tailoring in the family of the 
writer's father for many years prior to 
her death, and it was interesting to hear 
her and the writer's father, who had been 
friends and acquaintances from childhood, 
talk over the affairs of the early families 
of the town. They both had good mem- 
ories and thoroughly understood the sub- 
jects upon which they conversed. 

THE LEONARD CLOUGH PLACE 

and house were nearly opposite the Annie 
Wood place. That house was built very 
near or a little before the death of Miss 
Wood, say about 1840, by Mr. Clough, who 
continued to occupy it from that time un- 
til his death in July, 1865, in his sixty- 
fourth year. . 

Leonard Clough was the sixth child of 
Asa, sr., and Abigail c(Pecker) Clough, 
born Sept. 3, 1801, married Mary Jane, 
daughter of Samuel and Fanny (Colburn) 
Wood, Nov. 30, 1837. 

He was a spar-aiaker by trade, who 
made the spars for vessels built at Blue 
Hill for forty years before his death. He 
made the spars for brig "Equator" from a 
draft made by the writer, and from which 
she was rigged and her sails cut and made. 
He was a modest, good man, and by his 
death the town lost a valuable citizen and 
his church and neighbors a true friend. 

Mr. Clough left no children, and the 
house and place passed into other hands. 
The house is still standing. A few years 
ago his widow died, thus ending the fam- 
ily record of that branch. 

THE JEDEDIAH HOLT PLACE 
is the next in order, and in the boyhood 
of the writer was the last house upon the 



HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF BLUEHILL, MAINE. 



41 



road before reacbinp^ the meeting house. 
The first Jedediah Holt houso was of two 
stories; that was burned seventy years or 
so ago, and upon its site was built a story- 
and-a-half houso in which Mr. Holt re- 
sided until his death, Aug. 8, 1S17, ajjod 
ninety-three years, four months and llf- 
tcon da^'s. 

Ho was the son of Nicholas Holt, who 
caino from Andovor, Mass., to Blue 
Hill in 1705. Jedediah was born at An- 
dover, March 12, 1751. He married Sarah 
Thorndike, Feb. 21, 1778. She died Jan. 
15, 1838. They had six children as fol- 
lows : 

1. Jedediah, born March 3, 1779; mar- 
ried Polly Viles; he died Sept. 4, 18-12. 

2. Jeremiah F., born May 21, 1781; mar- 
ried Elizabeth Osgood; he died April 11, 
1832. 

3. Jonah, born Nov. 4, 1783; married 
tirst, Eliza O. Stevens; second, Almira 
Wilcox; he died Feb. 19, 1860. 

4. Samuel Phelps, born July 8, 1786; 
married Lj'dia Lowell; he died Sept. 29, 
1827. 

5. Stephen, born May 10, 1788; married 
Efy Parker; he died May 16, 1830. 

6. Sally Prince, born July 3, 1792; died 
Nov. 14, 1803. 

Mr. Holt outlived his wife and all his 
children but Jonah. The writer remem- 
bers him as an aged man, past labor, with 
his grandson, Samuel Phelps Holt, living 
with him in the old house that was burned. 
He lived an honorable and respected life, 
saw the town grow from a half dozen 
families to nearly 2,000 inhabitants, and to 
be a place of thrift and owning a large 
number of vessels built in the town, be- 
side the granite and other industries. His 
farm contained a good many acres on both 
sides of the road, cleared, cultivated and 
used as fields and pastures, which were 
covered by the primeval forest when he 
first began work upon it. After Mr. Holt's 
death the place was sold to other parties. 

Mr. Atherton and family resided there 
for a number of years, and then it jjassed 
into possession of Miss EfTie Ober, daugh- 
ter of Mrs. Atherton by a former husband 
—now Mrs. Efile Kline, of Cleveland, 
Ohio, the present owner. 

The house has been so changed and im- 
proved as not to be recognizable as the 
oDe in which Jedediah Holt s]^ut the last 



years of his life, and where he died. It is 
now used for a summer residence, for 
which it is well adapted, having large 
ground and a delightful view of the bay, 
islands and Mt. Desert Hills. 

From this house one passes by Dodge's 
woods on the right, wh?rc boys of the 
writer's day went to gather beechnuts in 
the fall of the year, there being no build- 
ings on either side of the road at that 
time until after the four corners of the 
road were reached near the old meeting 
house. 

To-day there is one modern house upon 
the right, beside the Blue Hill inn, and 
one on the left, all modern and of little 
interest from a historical^oint of view. 

The view along that stretch of road, of 
the mountain, a part of the village, Peter's 
Point, the ridge of land beyond, the little 
bay, Parker's Point, etc., is truly tine and 
pleasing. 

The writer traversed that road many 
times in youth, in going to and from his 
home at the Tide Mills to the old meeting 
house, the village, and to school at the 
academy, whan every object, far and'near, 
was engraved upon his memory through 
life, and every stone in or beside the road 
were familiar to him, as well as the houses 
and their inmates. 

THB OLD MBBTINa HOUSE. 

On the north side of the main road lead- 
ing from the four corners to the village, 
stood the meeting house, built before 1800, 
and burned Sunday, Jan. 2, 18-12. The 
writer well remembers it, and those who 
preached in it, from Father Fisher to the 
time of its destruction, and was present at 
the fire that consumed it and saw its 
frame, ail ablaze, fall to the ground. 

There was a meeting house of some sort 
before this— one at or near the Tide Mills, to 
which allusion is made in the town rocord.s 
and in which the church services were 
held after the church was organized in 
1772, ten j'oars after Wood and Koundy 
first landed in town and built their log 
cabins on the island near the Fore Falls, 
now called Mill island. 

Just whore the meeting house in the 
Tide Mill district was located, cannot now 
bedetermined, as traces of it have not been 
preserved, but mention of town meetings 
being hold in it and of repairs to it are 
found noted in the town records. The 



42 



HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF BLUEHILL, MAINE. 



first mention of it was at the March meet- 
ing of the town in 1772, when "The meet- 
ing by adjournment is to be at the meet- 
ing house, the first Monday in May, at 3 
o'clock in the afternoon". 

The settlement of the town grew in 
numbers and spread from the Neck and 
Tide Mill disi'ricts to the head of the bay 
and beyond, so that the first meeting 
house was not centrally located, even if of 
sufficient size to convene the people, and 
there began an agitation for a new meet- 
ing house to be built nearer the centre of 
the town. 

At the annual meeting of the town held 
April 5, 1790, it was "Voted, That the 
meeting house should be on the main road 
at the north end of Mr. Obed Johnson's 
Lot & that the school house should be near 
it". 

At a town meeting held October 4, 1790, 
"Voted, not to procure materials for build- 
ing a meeting house. Voted, not to choose 
a committee to procure a meeting house 
lot." 

At a meeting of the town held April 25, 
1791, it was "Voted, that the vote passed 
at their meeting April 5, 1790, respecting 
where the meeting house should stand, be 
reconsidered. Voted, That the meeting 
house should stand either on the road 
leading to John Gibbson's, or on Obed 
Johnson's land, or near Mile-mark hill. 
Voted, That the meeting house should 
stand near Obed Johnson's. 

"Voted, That the meeting house should 
be fifty feet long and forty feet wide. 
Voted, That a hundred pounds should be 
raised on the town for the purpose of 
building the meeting house. Voted, That 
a committee should be chosen to procure 
materials to build said meeting house and 
inspect the same, also to fix on the spot 
where said meeting house will stand. 
Voted, That the committee should con- 
sist of five persons. Voted, That the 
following persons should compose said 
committee, Daniel Spofford, John Peters, 
Col. Nathan Parker, Robert Parker and 
Capt. Joseph Wood. 

"Voted, That the town should appear 
on the spot where the meeting house is to 
stand, the first Tuesday in June next, in 
order to clear the same if fair weather, if 
not, the next fair day. Voted, That the 
committee appointed to procure materials 
to build a meeting house should be the 



committee to carry the foregoing votes 
into execution. 

"Blue HUl, May 23, 1791. The Freehold- 
ers & other Inhabitants of the town 
havingmet at Col. Nathan Parker's, agree- 
able to the Warrant of the 9th inst., pro- 
ceeded to the following business, viz.: 
1st. John Roundy chosen Moderator to 
said meeting. 2nd. Voted, That the 
votes passed at the last meeting respecting 
where the meeting house should stand 
should be reconsidered. Voted, That the 
meeting house should stand about twenty 
rods southwesterly of Col. Nathan Par- 
ker's house. The meeting was then dis- 
solved." 

It will be remembered by the readers of 
this account of building the meeting 
house, that at that time the town was the 
parish and the parish the town, and all 
action taken in connection therewith had 
to be taken in open town meeting. That 
the town was not disposed to act unad- 
visedly and hastily, the foregoing votes 
show. 

At a special meeting of the town held 
January 16, 1792, it was "Voted, The town 
having heard the report of the Committee 
appointed to procure Materials for build- 
ing the meeting house agreed to accept 
the same." 

What the report was the records do not 
state. At the annual meeting of the town 
held Monday, April 2, 1792, in regard to 
the meeting house it was "Voted, That the 
meeting house spot should be in the place 
last chosen." That was "20 rods south- 
westerly of Col. Nathan Parker's house." 

At an adjourment of the meeting noted 
above, held April 9, 1792, "Voted, That last 
vote respecting where the meeting house 
should stand should be reconsidered. 
Voted, That the meeting house should 
stand at or near where the Timber hauled 
for building said meeting house lays." 

At the second adjournment of this meet- 
ing at 2 o'clock p. m., April, 1792, "Voted, 
That the following articles should take 
place, viz:— Proposals for framing, board- 
ing and shingling and underpinning the 
meeting house. 

"1st. the selectmen shall be empowered 
to hire a Master workman on as reason- 
able terms as they can to be paid out of 
the Town treasury. 

"2d. The Selectmen shall with the ad- 
vice of the Master workman, fix upon the 



HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF BLUE HILL, MAINE. 



43 



number of men necessary to carry on the 
work of said building. 

"3d. The Selectmen shall then proceed 
to divide the town into as many Classes as 
they shall think will best convene the 
people, and shall apportion to each Class, 
agreeable to their valuation, one or more 
men for the time being and service neces- 
sary wiih the valuation of the same. 

"4th. The Selectmen shall be empow- 
ered to Issue their Warrant to the Con- 
stable to notify the said Classes their pro- 
portion of the workmen and the time and 
place said men must attend to receive the 
directions of the Master workman. 

"5th. The several Classes shall be ob- 
liged to make a return to the Selectmen of 
the persons, names they have chosen for 
said purpose 6 days before the time set for 
beginning said work, and the Selectmen 
shall be empowered to accept or object 
against the same as they shall think best 
answers the public good. 

"6lh. If any of tha classes shall refuse 
or neglect to comply with the foregoing 
Articles, the Selectmen have power to 
direct the Constable to collect the amount 
of the same with additional expenses their 
neglect or refusal may occasion in the 
same manner as other taxes are collected 
on or before the expiration of one 
month after the work begins, and the 
Selectmen shall hire such persons and for 
such time as will make good said de- 
ficiency. 

"7th. The Master workman shall be 
furnished with a list of the men who are 
to be under his direction and he shall 
mark the men deficient as to time and 
labor and the Class to which he belongs 
shall be obliged to make good such de- 
ficiency. 

"8th. The under workmen shall be 
set at four shillings per day. 

'^th. That each man so accepted by the 
Selectmen shall continue with the Master 
workman until the business for which ho 
is sent shall l)e completed. 

"Voted. That the building of the meet- 
ing house should be commenced the be- 
ginning of tne second week in May Next. 
Voted, That a Committee be appointed to 
retire and bring in a rejKirt of the sum 
necessary for building the meeting house. 
Mr. Danikl Spofford, 
Mr. John roi'ndy. 
Mr. Ki)\v,\ru carlkton. 
Committee for the above purpose. 

The committee reported fifty pounds. 



At a meeting of the town held May 7, 
1792, "Voted, that the proposed method of 
having a Porch in front of the meeting 
house be altered. Voted, not to have two 
Porches to the meeting house. Voted, 
That there should be one Porch at the east 
end of the meeting house. 

"Whereas a number of Persons having 
subscribed to furnish timber sufficient to 
build an additional Purch at the west end 
of the meeting house. Voted, That the 
same be built in like manner as the one 
already voted at the east end of the meet- 
ing house. 

"Voted, That necessary riggingjshould 
be provided to raise the meeting house. 
Voted, That a person should be appointed 
to provide said rigging. Voted, That 
Capt. Joshua Horton be empowered to 
procure said rigging. Voted, That an 
entertainment should be madCjfor raising 
the meeting house at the town's expense. 

"Voted, That the selectmen be cm- 
powered to procure one barrel of rum, 
also molasses and sugar sufficient for 
framing and raising the meeting house. 

"Voted, That the selectmen be em- 
powered to assess the several classes here- 
tofore established to send their proportion 
of provisions for the proposed entertain- 
ment. Voted that two men should be 
appointed to receive the said provisions. 

"Eben Floyd, Mr. Jona Darling, Chosen 
said Committee." 

"Voted, That those classes who do not 
send their proportion of provisions shall 
be assessed the amount of the same in 
Money which shall be collected in like 
manner with other taxes, and they shall 
give notice thereof before said raising 
whether they will send the same or not. 

"Voted, That the Selectmen be empow- 
ered to procure such Persons as they shall 
think will best answer to lay the founda- 
tion of the meeting house, and shall be 
empowered to deduct the same out of their 
next Class bill for boarding, provided it 
should exceed their present proportion o£ 
work on said meeting house." 

At a meeting of the town held August 
27, 17?)2, it was "Voted, That the committee 
appointed to provide materials for build- 
ing the meeting house be dcsiied to im- 
mediately report to the selectmen the 
persons names who are delinquent, and said 
selectmen are empowered to issue their 
warrant to the constable to collect such a 



44 



HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF BLUEHILL, 3IAINE. 



snm of said delinquent persons who do 
not deliver the deficient articles within 
twelve days from the date hereof as shall 
be sufficient to procure and deliver said 
articles at the meeting house aforesaid. 

"Voted, That the Selectmen should hire 
Persons to board and shingle the meeting 
bouse this fall upon as reasonable terms as 
possible. 

"Voted, That fifteen pounds be assessed 
upon the town for boarding and shingling 
the meeting house. 

"Voted, That the Selectmen be empow- 
ered to contract with some Person or Per- 
sons to make the Window frames and 
Sashes for the meeting house, to be paid 
for out of this year's Town tax. 

"Voted, That those Persons who are de- 
ficient in the several Classes should have 
their said deficient sums added to the tax 
granted at this meeting, ana those Persons 
who have overdone their said Proportions 
of said Class bUls should have the same 
deducted from said tax." 

At an adjourned meeting held Septem- 
ber 6, 1792, it was "Voted, Covings of the 
meeting house to have what is called a 
double Cornish only— the weather boards 
to have a single Cornish — the Window 
frames to be made of thick boards with a 
large stool and Crown— the sashes to be a 
size larger than the common Sashes. 

"Voted, That the selectmen be empow- 
ered to procure the Crowns for the Win- 
dows of the meeting house." 

At a meeting of the town held Nov- 
ember 2, 1792, it was "Voted, That the 
Windows and Doors of the meeting house 
should be boarded up this fall. 

"Voted, That the Studds of the meet- 
ing house for the Windows should be al- 
tered so as to admit Sashes of 24 squares 
each of 8 by 10 glass. 

"Voted, That the Selectmen should pro- 
cure four thousand feet of clear boards for 
the meeting house." 

There is nothing in the record to show 
the date of raising the meeting house, but 
the later records quoted make it quite 
clear that it took place some time between 
August and November of 1792. Tradition 
states that every man, woman and child 
of the town was at the raising. And it 
has been said that a great inducement for 
their being present was the entertainment 
provided for the occasion at the town's 
expense, including the barrel of rum. 



Blue Hill, April 1, 1793— At a town 
meeting held on this date, "Voted, That 
the meeting house should be finished on 
the outside this year, complete. 

"Voted, That the body of the meeting 
house be painted a yellow stone color and 
the roof to be painted with oil, turpentine 
and Spanish brown. 

"Voted, that the selectmen see that the 
above work is done. 

"Voted, That Sixty Pounds in addition 
to the Sums granted at this meeting should 
also be assessed upon the Town for the 
purpose of finishing the meeting house, 
and other exigencies." 

Blue Hill, July 10, 1793— At a meeting 
of the town held this day it was "Voted, 
That the Town would Accept one Acre of 
Land offered by Capt. Joseph Wood and 
others for the benefit of the Town. 

"Voted, That the Town Clerk be di- 
rected to record the Deed of said Land 
with the thanks of this Town for this 
generous gratuity." > 

Here follows in the town records copy 
of the deed: 

"Know all men by these Presents That 
we, Joseph Wood, Nathan Parker, Israel 
Wood, Robert Parker, Joseph Wood, jr., 
Obed Johnson and Robert Wood, of Blue 
HUl in the County of Hancock and Com- 
monwealth of Massachusetts, in Consider- 
ation of the Love and Good will we bare 
to the said Town of Blue Hill and in 
Order to add to the beauty, utility and 
convenance of the meeting house in said 
town, do give, grant and convey unto the 
said Town of Blue Hill a certain piece of 
Land containing One Acre, situated, lay- 
ing and being in the Town aforesaid and 
bounded on each side of the road leading 
from the Main Road by the meeting house 
aforesaid to Col. Nathan Parker's, by par- 
allel lines with the said road from the 
Northeast end of the School House in 
said road to the line between Col. Nathan 
Parker's and Mr. Obed Johnson's, for the 
purpose of making said road eight rods 
wide. The Northern boundary of said 
Land to be in a Line with the back side of 
the meeting house. 

"To have and to hold the same to the 
said Town of Blue Hill for the purposes 
aforesaid to their Use and Behoof forever. 
And we do covenant with the said Town 
their Agents or Attorneys that We are 



niSTOTiTCAL SKETCHES OF BLUEHILL, MAINE. 45 



lawfully seized in the Fee of the Premises 
that they are free of all incuinbrances 
that We have good Hi^ht to give, grant 
and convey the same to said Town. And 
that We will warrant and defend the same 
to the said town, their Agents or Attor- 
neys against the lawful claims and de- 
mands of all Persons. 

"In witness whereof We have hereunto 

set our hands and seals this First day of 

January in the Year of Our Lord One 

thousand seven hundred and ninety-three. 

(Signed) Joseph Wood. 

Nathan Parker. 
Israel Wood. 
Robert Parker. 
Obed Johnson. 
Joseph Wood, Jr. 
Robert Wood. 
f Signed, Sealed and ] 
I delivered in the | 
•j presence of Joseph |- 
I Herrick, Amos | 
[ Allen. J 

"Hancock, ss. January the first A. D., 
1793. Then personally appeared the within 
named Joseph Wood, Nathan Parker, 
Israel Wood, Robert Parker, Obed John- 
son, Joseph Wood, jr., Robert Wood and 
acknowledged the within instrument of 
them subscribed to be their free act and 
deed. Before me, 

Nicholas Holt, 
Justice of the Peace." 
"Voted, That a committee of three be 
appointed to lay before the town a plan 
at the next annual meeting for finishing 
the meeting house. Col. Nathan Parker, 
Mr. Robert Parker and Mr. John Peters, 
said committee." 

Blue Hill, September 9, 1793— At a meet- 
ing of the town held this day it was 
"Voted, That the selectmen should pro- 
cure six thousand feet of clear boards, 
four thousand feet of merchantable boards 
and a sufficient quantity of joist for the 
gallery floors of the meeting house, 
together with pople pillars for the support 
of the galleries. 

"Voted, That the porch doors be 
crowned with pediments in manner with 
the front door." 

October 20, 1794, the town "Voted, That 
the selectmen dispose of the tar, glass, 
putty, empty casks and boxes left at the 
finishing of the outside of the meeting 
house." 
April 6, 1795, "Voted, That the select- 



men cause the roof of the meeting house, 
which was damaged in a late storm, to be 
repaired, and cause the windows and doors 
of said house to be secured and the gal- 
lery floors joists to be let in for the purpose 
of piling the boards which have been pro- 
cured. 

"Voted, That Mr. Edward Carleton be 
allowed three pence per light for 300 lights 
of sashes delivered for the meeting house." 

Monday April 3, 1797, "Voted, That 
Capt. Joseph Wood, jr., Roljert Parker, 
Phiueas Osgood, Benjamin Friend and 
Ebenezer Floyd be a committee to lay be- 
fore the Town at their next meeting such 
plans for finishing the meeting house as 
shall occur to them and the consequences 
that may in their opinion result from 
either to the advantage or disadvantage of 
the Town and which will be the best 
method." 

May 10, 1797, "Voted, That the Pews of 
the meeting house be sold at Public 
Vendue on the Second Monday of Sept- 
ember next in the following manner, viz: 
They shall be set up without regard to 
their numbers or situation and struck off 
to the highest bidder. One quarter part 
of what they sell for shall be paid down, 
another quarter part within three months 
after the work on the meeting house has 
begun and the remainder when the P^ws 
are finished. 

"Voted, That Ebenezer Floyd, Daniel 
Spofford, and Capt. Joseph Wood, jr., be a 
committee to lay before the Town on the 
day of the appointed Vendue such differ- 
ent Plans of the pews of the meeting house 
as may occur to them. 

"Voted, That the Selectmen give notice 
of the intended Vendue of the Pews. 

"Voted, That the Selectmen provide a 
Person to do the duty of Sexton." 

September 11, 1797, the town passed the 
following votes: 

"That number five of the Plan of Pews 
presented by the committee apiminted for 
that purpose be observed in finishing the 
floor of the meeting house. That the 
Pews be built without balustrades. That 
two pair of Stairs bo built to ascend 
the Pulpit as represented in Plan No. 5. 

"That ten per cent ujjon the price of the 
Pews be paid down, instead of the quarter 
part voted to be paid at the last meet- 
Ing." 



46 



HISTOBICAL SKETCHES OF BLUEHILL, MAINE. 



"That one-half the price of Pews shall 
be made up and paid in by the first Mon- 
day in Api'il next and if n<it paid in as 
aforesaid then the ten per cent advanced to 
be forfeited." 

"That the Selectmen have power to bid 
off the Pews to be sold at Vendue this day 
for the benefit of the Town if it shall ap- 
pear to them that the said Pews are likely 



mittee to dispose of the money arising 
the meeting house as they shall deem 
most beneficial to the Town. 

"That, whereas this Town have been at 
considerable expense in building their 
meeting house conceive that they are en- 
titled to the exclusive privilege of bidding 
off their intended Pews and shall there- 
fore consider it as an infringement upon 



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GROUND-FLOOK PLAN OF OLD MEETINGHOUSE. 



from the sale of Pews, towards finishing 
to be disposed of to the damage of said 
Town. 

"That not less than one Dollar shall be 
considered a bid. 

"That seven minutes only be allowed to 
bid upon a Pew, after the same shall 
have been set up for sale. 

"That three minutes be allowed for 
bidders to make their choice. 

"That there be a Parsonage Pew. 

"That Capt. Joseph Wood, jr., Robert 
Parker and Ebenezer Floyd be a com- 



their Rights for any Person to outbid 
them who have not contributed towards 
the building said meeting house without 
their united consent and permission. 

"Voted, That Major David Carleton 
have the consent of this Town to bid 
upon the Pews as he pleases. 

"Voted, That the money arising from 
the sale of Pews be deposited in the hands 
of Mr. Robert Parker. 

"Voted, That Capt. Joseph Wood, jr., 
Daniel Spoflord and Ebenezer Floyd be a 
committee to lay before the Town at the 



HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF BLUEHILL, MAINE. 



next meeting a Plan for finishing the 
galleries of the ineetiiifj house. 

"Copy of Plan No. 5 Voted to he ob- 
served in finishing the floor of the meet- 
ing house with the Number of Pews as 
sold nt Vendue together with the persons' 
names to whom sold." 

".\ccount of the sale of the pews to be 
built on the lower Hoor of the Blue Hill 
meeting house, Vendued by Mr. Israel 
Hobinson, Auctioneer, 11th of September, 
17i>7, in conformity to a vote of the Town 
this day and the 10th of May last; setting 
forth the number of the choice, to whom 
sold, number of the Pew, the price thereof 
and the sum advanced by each towards 
the payment of the same. 



12 63 5 70 



• To whom sold. 

s 

o 


o 
o 




■3 
es 

S 


1st Parsonage pew chosen by 






Rev Jonathan Fisher, 


23 




.... 


2d Sabin Pond, 


36 


56 


660 


3d Jedediah Holt, 


38 


56 


600 


•1th Reuben & John Dodge, 


39 


57 


20 00 


5th Robert Wood, 


19 


58 


580 


6th Joseph Emmerton, 


10 


56 


6 10 


7th Enoch Briggs, 


13 


59 


600 


8th Maj. David Carleton, 


40 


56 


580 


9th Phiueas Osgood, 


9 


57 


550 


10th Capt. Joseph Wood, Jr. 


,34 


57 


600 


11th Nicholas Holt, Jr., 


14 


67 


730 


12th Jonathan Ellis, 


35 


67 


6 75 


13th Samuel Stetson, 


24 


57 


600 


14th John Roundy, Jr., 


2 


56 


600 


15th Israel Wood, 


16 


56 


600 


16th Obed Johnson, 


21 


54 


660 


17th Samuel Brown, 


4 


52 


550 


18th Daniel Spofford, 


29 


53 


550 


19th Capt. Joshua Horton, 


7 


52 


550 


20th John Peters, 


37 


52 


620 


21st Daniel Faulkner, 


30 


52 


6 45 


22d Col. Nathan Parker, 


28 


62 


5 so 


23th John Peters, 


31 


52 


660 


2Uh Theodore Stevens, 


3 


52 


10 00 


25th Jonathan Ellis, 


32 


52 


5-20 


2Hth John Candage, 


26 


52 


5 20 


27th Nehemiah Hinckley, 


26 


52 


5 -20 


28th Jonathan Clay, 


27 


52 


630 


29th .\ndrew Wit ham. 


1 


52 


5*20 


30th John Peters, 


22 


55 


600 


31«t .Moses CarL'ton, 


33 


60 


600 


32d Daniel Osgood, 


8 


61 


550 


33d Amos Allen, 


18 


51 


510 



20 


50 


500 


11 


50 


650 


6 


60 


5 10 


65 


60 


600 


17 


61 


5 10 


15 


50 


5 10 



34th Seth Kimball, 

35th James Candage, 

3<)th John Carter, 

371 h Peter Parker, 

38th Jonatlian Darling, Jr., 

3yth Isaac Osgood, 

40th Elisha Dodge, 



Total, 2,087 236 65 

Note— The Congregational meeting house 
containing the pews above mentioned vsas 
burnt to the ground January 2, 1842. It 
took fire from the stove about 9 o clock 
Sunday morning. 

Blue Hill, .\pril 2, 1798.— The town voted 
"That a Porch be built in front of the 
meeting house and that the building the 
same be left with the meeting house com- 
mittee and Master workman. ' 

"Voted, That Plan No. 1 of the Gal- 
leries and part of Plan No. 3 as repre- 
sented by said Plans be observed in fin- 
ishing the meeting house. Plan on tile. 

"Voted, That the Gallery Pews be sold 
after the meeting hous? is finished. 

"Voted, That the Pew seats be hung 
(with hinges) at the Town's expense. 

"Voted, That the Pulpit pillars, posts 
and front of the Gallery be painted. 

"Voted, That the Pulpil and Deacon's 
seats be finished as the meeting house 
Committee and Master workman shall 
think best. 

"Voted, That such parts of the meet- 
ing house be finisded first as the Master 
workman and Committee shall agree. 

"Voted, That ,the forfeited Pews, if 
any, shall be sold by the Committee for 
finishing the meeting house the second 
Tuesday in June ne.xt. 

"Voted, That those Persons who do not 
make up and pay into the Town's Treas- 
urer half the price of the Pews this day, 
shall |>ay five Dollars down and make the 
said half at or before the 2d day of June 
next, or forfeit their Pew, the ten jier 
cent, advanced at the time of the sale and 
the five Dollars paid this day." 

At the adjournment of the above meet- 
ing held Tuesday, April 3, 1?J«, "Voted, 
That any Person who has bid off a Pew in 
Blue Hill meeting house and shall neglect 
to make up and pay in the sum which said 
Pew sold for when the said Pews arc fin- 
ished shall forfeit said Pew and ten |x;r 
cent. ujKjn the value of same and the re- 
mainder of the sum which had been ad- 



48 



RISTOJRICAL SKETCHES OF BLVEBILL, MAINE. 



vanced shall be returned within fourteen 
days after said forfeiture." 

"Voted, That the meeting house Com- 
mittee advise with the Master workman 
on the meeting house respecting the build- 
ing a Bridge over the Fore Falls and re- 
port his opinion. 

Blue Hill, September 3, 1789.— At a reg- 
ularly called town meeting held this day 
it was "Voted, That a Type or Sounding 
board be made and hung over the Pulpit. 

"Voted, That the Porch be built with a 
compass roof. 

"Voted, That there be three doors made 
to the Porch. 

"Voted, That the altering of the Pul- 
pit window be at the Town's expense. 

"Voted, That the Gallery Pews be sold 
the first Monday in October next, at one 
o'clock in the afternoon on the following 
conditions, viz : Five Dollars to be paid 
down for each Pew— Two-thirds of the 
price of each Pew to be made up and paid 
in within eight months after the day of 
sale, or the purchaser to forfeit his Pew 
and ten per cent, upon the value of the 
same and the remainder to be paid in 
within one year from the day of sale or 
the Pew to be forfeited and twelve per 
cent, upon the price thereof." 

"Voted, That the meeting house Com- 
mittee advertise and sell the Gallery Pews 
on the above conditions. 

"Voted, That the meeting house Com- 
mittee sell at public vendue the articles 
which may be left after finishing the 
meeting house. 

"Voted, That the Steps into the meet- 
ing house be made of plank." 

Blue Hill, November 5, 1798. — At a town 
meeting held this day "Voted, That the 
vote passed the 3d of September respect- 
ing building the Porch in front of the 
meeting house with a compass roof be re- 
considered." 

At the annual meeting of the town held 
AprU 1, 1799, "Voted, That the roof of 
the meeting house be laid over with a 
Composition of tar, charcoal, sand, etc., 
after the principal leaks have been criti- 
cally searched and stopped and the leaks 
on the sides and corners be prevented by 
new boards and painting as it may appear 
to require for the preservation of the 
House. 

"Voted, That the ground round the 
meeting house be leveled and drained and 



that the necessary labor Iherefor be appor- 
tioned to each Highway district. 

Voted, That Eeuben Dodge, Capt. Jo- 
seph Wood, Jr., and Ebenezer Floyd be a 
Committee to Superintend the work of the 
meeting house. 

"Voted, That the above Committee Su- 
perintend the leveling and draining the 
grounds round the meeting house." 

At an adjournment of the foregoing 
town meeting it was "Voted, That the 
Town Treasurer be and is hereby author- 
ized and directed to make out and legally 
execute a Deed by the First of June next 
to those Persons who have bought the 
lower floor for Pews of the Blue Hill meet- 
ing house, in due form of law, describing 
to each on one Deed, the number of his 
Pew with the price thereof and cause the 
same to be recorded in the county records. 

"Voted, That those Persons who shall 
not pay in the balances due from them for 
lower floor Pews, by the last of June next, 
shall be excluded by the Treasurer from 
said Deed together with the number and 
price thereof. 

"Voted, That the thanks of this Town 
be given to the Rev. Jonathan Fisher for 
his generous FreewUl offering to the 
House of the Lord." 

What the "generous Freewill offering 
to the House of the Lord" consisted of, the 
record does not state. 

Blue HiU, April 7, 1800.— At the annual 
meeting of the town held on the above 
date, "Voted, That the Selectmen see 
that the roof of the meeting house be re- 
paired as voted. 

"Voted, That fifty days' work be as- 
sessed upon the Town for the purpose of 
leveling and draining the ground round 
the meeting house and that it be appor- 
tioned and worked out |the same as was 
done the last year. 

"Voted, That all chinks on the inside 
of the roof of the meeting house be 
pointed with lime mortar. 

"Voted, That fifteen Dollars be assessed 
upon the Town for the purpose of paint- 
ing the roof of the meeting house." 

"Voted, That the Sexton's office be set 
up to the lowest bidder. The following 
duties are expected of the Sexton. He is 
to open the doors of the meeting house on 
all public days of Worship and he is to 
secure the same immediately after ser- 
vices. He is to keep the doors clear of 



HISTOniCAL SKETCHES OF BLUEITILL, MAINE. 



49 



snow on all public days of Worship. Ho 
is to dear the meeting house of all Stoves, 
after service on public days of Worship, 
and is to supply the Baptism bason with 
water when necessary. The Sex'on's of- 
fice was struck off to Obed Johnson for 
six Dollars, to be paid him by the Town." 

At a town meeting held May 1, ISOO, it 
was "Voted, That the Gallery Pews which 
remain the Town's pro{)erty be sold at 
Public Vendue at such time and place as 
the Selectmen shall notify the sale thereof, 
on the following conditions, viz.: ten per 
cent, upon the price of each Pew shall be 
paid down, two-thirds the price thereof 
shall be made up and paid in at or before 
the tlrt^t day of January, 1801, or the same 
shall be forfeited and the Selectmen shall 
proceed to sell the same in such a manner 
as shall be most advantageous to the Town, 
and the remainder shall be made up and 
paid in at or before the first day of July, 
1801, or forfeited and ten per cent, upon 
the value thereof, and the Selectmen shall 
proceed to sell the same as in case where 
the first payment shall not be paid in as 
aforesaid." 

At a town meeting held the 13th of 
April, 1801, it was "Voted, That the care 
of the meeting house be struck off to the 
lowest bidder for the ensuing Season." 

The following duties are required of the 
person who shall take care of the meeting 
house. 

"1st. He shall open the doors of the 
meeting house on all public days of Wor- 
ship and secure the same again imme- 
diately after service. 

"2d. He shall keep the doors clear of 
snow on all days of public Worship. 

"3d. He shall clear the meeting house 
of all stoves after service on public da3-s 
of Worship and shall supply the Baptism 
bason with water when necessary. 

"1th. He shall sweep the meeting bouse 
at least once in a month and in particular 
on the Saturday precceding the adminis- 
tering the Sacrament. 

"The duty was accepted by Nathan i'ar- 
ker, Jr., for which he is to receive six Dol- 
lars from the Town Treasurer. 

Ebenkzkr Floyd, 
Town Clerk." 



The meeting house after due considera- 
tion by the town and the passage of a 
hundred votes and resolutions, was com- 
pleted, but was never formally dedicated, 
as ten years elapsed from the initiatory 
steps taken for its building to its comple- 
tion. Its internal arrangements were like 
those of the Old South church, of Boston, 
with square pews, galleries, high pulpit 
with steps leading up to it, and with 
sounding-board suspended above. In 1821, 
John Peters, esq., presented a bell, and a 
tower and steeple for it were added at the 
eastern end of the building for its install- 
ment. That had just been completed 
when the donor of the bell died and it 
tolled for the first ti ne for his funeral. 

Kev. Jonathan Fisher, the first settled 
pastor of the town preached in the meet- 
ing house from 1796 to 1S37, when on ac- 
count of age resigned his pastorate. In it 
Rev. Albert Cole was ordained in 1837, who 
continued to preach therein until it was 
destroyed by fire Sunday, January 2, 1842. 
This ends the historical account of the 
meeting house, an account full and replete 
with interest to the few who are still liv- 
ing who attended service within its walls, 
and of instructive historical interest to 
every citizen of the town and vicinity. 

The old meeting house had been built 
at great sacrifice bj* the people of the 
town, after praj'erfnl and business con- 
sideration of unusual length, and by many 
votes of the town, and it seemed a blow of 
great severity to have it destroyed in that 
niann-r, with no insurance upon it to be 
collected in aid of another. 

Miss Charlotte Augusta Parker Holt, 
daughter of Stephen and Edy (Parker) 
Holt, a native of the town, wrote some 
verses on the burning of the meeting 
house. [See note on page 50.] Others 
wrote appropriate articles upon its 
destruction, but the records of the church 
are sil.-nt regarding it. 

Many memories crowd th'.' writer's mind 
of the people who in it attended church 
and Sunday school, nearly all of whom 
have gone to their reward in another 
world, while he has been sj)ared to write 
this account, and for other puri>oses, 
which the All-Wise One has ordered. 



50 



HISTOEICAL SKETCHES OF BLUEHILL, MAINE. 



FROM THE SITE OP THE OLD MEETING 

HOUSE TO THE MILL STREAM IN THE 

VILLAGE, VIA MAIN STREET. 

The next house below the meeting house, 
according to the early recollections of the 
writer, was that in which lived Dea. James 
Savage and family. Dea. Savage came to 
the town to reside about 1800, before the 
meeeting house had been completed, as is 
probable, and married, March 7, 1811, 
Ruth, daughter of Israel Wood, son of 
Joseph Wood, the first of the settlers of 
the town. 

She was born Nov. 15, 1779, and died 
Nov. 28, 1865, aged eighty-six years. Dea. 
James Savage was born June 29, 1781, and 
died June 3, 1847, aged sixty-six years. 
The entry in the records of the church re- 
lating to his death is as follows: "Dea. 
James Savage, who was a member of this 
church and an officer for many years, died 
June 3, 1817. Though of a modest and 
retiring temperament, he walked with 
the church a consistent and conscientious 
member, serving as deacon many years 
with fidelity. His end was peace." 

In the writer's early days he remembers 



Dea. Savage as the bell-ringer of the old 
church, whom the boys thought a won- 
derful man in his skill in balancing the 
bell upside down so truly during ringing 
for services. The writer, with other boys, 
sometimes climbed up the tower to the 
belfry deck while the bell was ringing, to 
try to discover the secret of how he bal- 
anced the wheel and bell so nicely. He 
remembers how the beifry shook as the 
bellwheel revolved, the deafening noise 
the bell gave out as its tongue clanged 
from side to side, and glad were they to 
clamber down again. 

He also remembers the good deacon and 
family in their square pew on the east side 
near the door, one-half of which was 
shared with the family of the writer's 
father, and in which the writer sat with 
them, in the days of Father Fisher's min- 
istry and that of Rev. Albert Cole in 
that house. 

The family of Deacon Savage, besides 
himself and wife, consisted of the follow- 
ing children: 

1. William, born Nov. 25, 1813; died 
Nov. 27, 1813. 



Note— A copy of the poem referred to as 
having been written by Miss Augusta Holt 
at the time the old meeting house was destroyed 
by fire, is lu the possession of her cousin, Miss 
Eilly Wood, of Bluehin.from which the follow- 
ing has been copied : 
Yes, fallen Is that sacred fane, 

And silence reigns around; 
Thine altar now we seek in vain, 

*Tl9 levelled with the ground ; 
Thy saints, where oft thy face they sought, 

Shall seek thy face no mere. 
Or there at morn or evening hour 

May wait within thy door. 
Full many an hour of deepest grief 

Within those walls were spent, 
And there, lull many a sjleam of joy 

Thy word to us has lent. 
There we have shed the parting tear, 

Have breathed the parting sigh 
O'er many a friend in life most dear, 

Though now entombed they He. 
Those walls have seen the sinners' tear 

In oeep contrition flow, 
While with sad hearts ana many a fear 

They thought of endless woe. 
Those walls have heard the ransomed sing, 

While joy filled heart and eye, 
Of Jesus' love, of sins forgiven, 

Of life and peace on high. 
Those walls have seen the gentle tear 



Fall soft from pious eye 
Of many a sainted one that now 

Like them In dust does He. 
Around Thy board we oft have met, 

Blest Saviour In Thy name; 
And while we thought of all Thy love 

Our hearts have caught the Qame; 
But scenes like those shall ne'er again 

Within that temple be; 
Those consecrated, sacred walls 

We ne'er again may see. 
For while we gazed, mid smoke and flame, 

We saw that temple fall; 
The temple reared. Lord, to Thy name, 

'Tie fallen and perished ail- 
But not like that Thy temple shrine 

Shall perish, die and fade; 
Those truths eternal and divine 

Which our supports are made, 
Those truths shall live though nature dies; 

Though earth itself shall burn. 
Though every earthly temple here 

To dust again shall turn. 
Then we shall tread Thlue upper courts 

With harps and crowns of light— 
And our glad voices, in Thy praise, 

With joy shall all unite. 
Eternal, Thou Thyself art there 

In those bright courts above, 
We'll seek no more Thy face by prayer 

But see Thee, tied of love. 



HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF BLUEHILL, MAINE. 



51 



2. Phebe Wood, born Sept. 6, 1815; mar- 
ried Fredoriok W. Darlinj?. 

3. Nathan Parker, born July 28, 1817; 
removed to IJauyor. 

•1. Hally Ann, born Aug. 7, 1S20; mar- 
ried Ichabod Urindle. 

6. Rebecca Ton ney, born July 27, 1822; 
married John Stillman Friend. 

In the house with the Savage family 
lived Mrs. Ix)i3 Parker, the widow of Ezra 
Parker, and sister of Mrs. Savage. 

Mrs. Parker (maiden name Lois Wood, 
daughter of Israel Wood) was born Feb. 
6, 1775, married Ezra Parker, Dec. 27, 1791. 
She died Dec. 31, 18(51, aged nearly C'g:hty- 
seven years. Ezra Parker was born July 
15, 1767, supposed at Andover, Mass., and 
died July 14, ISIS, aged lifty-one years. 
They had one child, Kimball, born April 
22, 1792; died Jan. 31, 1820. 

After the death of Dea. Savage, F. A. 
Darling, who had married Phebe Wood 
Savage, daughter of the deacon, lived on 
the old place, took down or rebuilt the 
old house into two stories and occupied it 
until his death. 

Mr. Darling was the son of Jedediah and 
Lydia (Stinson) Darling, born Oct. 1, 1815; 
married Phebe Wood Savage, Feb. 1, 1S38, 
to whom were born the following chil- 
dren: 

1. Augusta M. P., born June 7, 1839; 
died Jan. 27, ISSS. 

2. Ellen Ann, born Oct. 23, 1812. 

3. George F., born June 2, 1845; died 
June 29, 1878. 

4. Frank Kimball, born Jan. 28, 1854; 
died June 3, 1875. 

Mr. Darling taught school in his young- 
er days, and the writer was one of his 
scholars; in after years he was a stone- 
cutter. He died a few years ago, but the 
house in which he lived still stands. 

The opiX)3ite side of the road had no 
house upon it from the earliest recollec- 
tions of the writer until the Blue Hill inn 
was erected thereon, but according to the 
records it would apix;ar that Joseph Wood 
and perhaps his sons were owners of a 
part of the land thereof. 

Ne.xt to the house of Dea. Savage stood 
the Btory-and-a-half brick house, on the 
brow of the hill looking toward the vil- 
lage, belonging to Dr. Nathun Tenncy and 
famil}' in the writer's boyhood. 

From the readiag of the town records in 



connection with action taken towards 
building the meeting house, one may in- 
fer that at that time Col. Nathan Parker 
owned the land hereabouts and lived in ». 
house standing near the spot on whiih 
the Tenney hous^ was erected in the early 
part of 1800; just what year is unknown 
to the writer. Col. Nathan Parker was 
from Andover, Mass., as will be remem- 
bered by those who have read the account 
of the settlement of the town near the 
Falls by the writer, and his marriage to 
Mary Wood, daughter of Joseph Wood, 
on Dec. 20, 1761, the first solemnized in 
the town. His family record has already 
been given. 

Dr. Nathan Tenney was a native of 
Bradford, Mass., born May 23, 1769; came 
first to Sedgwit k when a youug man, then 
to Blue Hill about 1815. He mnrried Mary, 
daughter of Major David Carleton, of 
Sedgwiek, Aug. 21, 1796. She was born 
Oct. 23, 1777; died May 9, 1820. He died 
June 29, 1848, aged seventy-nine years. 
He practiced medicine; was considered 
skillful and for many years was the chief 
doctor in the town. 

The writer well remembers him sitting 
as erect as a military officer upon his gray 
horse, jogging along the highway at a 
measured pace, with saddle bags across 
his saddle, containing a small but power- 
ful amount of drugs and medicines, of 
which calomsl, jalap and sour drops were 
component parts. 

He was a grave-appearing man, though 
humorous and witty when occasion called 
them forth. It is said of him, that when 
asked by a smith where he thought was a 
good place for him to locate, he replied in 
a laconic manner, "In his shop." At an- 
other time, being asked how to served cu- 
cumbers in the best manner for the table, 
he said: "Peel them, slice them, put th^^'m 
in a dish, sprinkle them with salt and 
pepper, add vinegar, then give them to 
your hogs." 

As a country doctor he was called out at 
all seasons and at all hours of night or 
day, to attend the sick. He well knew 
what summer htat, dronching ruin, snow- 
storm and frost meant for one called to 
endure them. On one occasion it is said a 
daughter was lamenting because she could 
not have the pleasure of a sleigh ride. He 
said to her: "Go out to the woodshed, put 
your feet in a tub of ice and water and I 



52 



HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF BLUE HILL, MAINE. 



will come and jingle the bells, and you 
can imagine the pleasure of a sleigh ride." 

The writer remembers when the good 
doctor set and splinted his broken arm, 
how the pain made him faint, but Dr. 
Tenney went on with the work without 
apparently the twinge of a muscle or a 
change of countenance. He has bsen dead 
nearly sisty years, and yet his image is 
before the writer as he narrates this ac- 
count of him. 

His children, also gone, were : 

1. Polly, born April 3, 1797; married 
Capt. Daniel Clough. 

2. Sophia, born May 8, 1799; died Oct. 
2, 1825. 

3. John, born May 3, 1801; died Dec. 17, 
1837. 

4. Rebecca, born April 26, 1804; died 
March 12, 1840. 

5. William, born Sept. 21, 1806; married 
Emma Hinckley; died April 17, 1839. 

6. Jane, born March 26, 1809; died Aug. 
25, 1884, aged seventy-five years. 

7. Nabby, born May 10, 1811; died 
March 17, 1816. 

8. Julia Ann, born June 9, 1813; married 
Aaron P. Emerson, of Orland. 

9. David, born Sept. 3, 1815; died Sept. 
17, 1825. 

William, the fifth child, married Emma, 
daughter of Nehemiah and Edith (Wood) 
Hinckley, Nov. 5, 1833, by whom he had 
three children: 

1. William Paris, born Sept. 11,1834; 
a bachelor; resides in Boston. 

2. John Pearl, born Sept. 11, 1834; a 
widower; resides in Portland. 

3. Nehemiah Hinckley, born May 1838 ; 
died Feb. 1885. 

William Tenney resided with his father 
until his death, and there his children 
were born. His widow and children re- 
sided there some time after his death; she 
later married Capt. Judah Chase. Jane 
Tenney occupied the old house until her 
death in the '80's. Mrs. Caroline Walker, 
widow of the writer's half brother, Wil- 
liam Walker, resided in the house of her 
grandfatJier, Dr. Tenney, and with her 
aunt, Jane, in the early '60's; and there 
the writer spent several weeks during her 
occupancy of a part of the house. 

After the death of Jane Tenney it was 
occupied dj'^ different parties, and finally 
sold to Admiral Henderson, of the U. S. 



N., who changed over the house and place, 
or began it, but died and his widow com- 
pleted the work. Mrs. Henderson made 
an attractive place of it. It occupies a 
commanding view, and is a beautiful loca- 
tion for a summer residence, the purpose 
to which it is now put. 

THE KITTRIDGE HOUSE 
beneath the hill was the next house re- 
membered by the writer in boyhood, al- 
though there stands another now between 
it and the Plenderson or Tenney place. 
This house w^as built in 1832 or 1833 by 
Hosea Kittridge, who was then preceptor 
of Blue Hill academy. He was born 
March 5, 1803; married Nancy, daughter 
of Rev. Jonathan Fisher, Nov. 18, 1830. 
She was born Aug. 19, 1804. They had 
two children born at Blue Hill; Ellen, 
Jan. 30, 1832, and Tyler, Oct. 3, 1834. Mr. 
Kittridge, after a number of years' service, 
resigned as preceptor of the academy, and 
left town with his family for a home in 
the West. 

The house and place were sold to John 
Stevens, who on Nov. 5, 1838, married Miss 
Mary J. Perkins, of Castine (born Feb. 10, 
1811) and brought her a bride to this house 
to reside, where both continued to re- 
side untU their death, and where their 
children were born. 

John Stevens was the son of Theodore 
and Dorcas (Osgood) Stevens, born at Blue 
Hili, June 12, 1804, a school teacher in 
younger days, then a trader, vessel owner 
and business man. He was for forty-five 
years a clerk and treasurer of the trustees 
of Blue Hill academy, and under his man- 
agement the invested funds of the acad- 
emy more than doubled in amount. He 
died June 7, 1890, aged eighty-six, and his 
wife died Dec. 19, 1878. They had six chil- 
dren, four sons and two daughters, viz.: 

1. Edgar, born AprU 11, 1840; a sea cap- 
tain. 

2. Frank, born Jan. 31, 1842; a sea cap- 
tain out of New York. 

3. Samuel, born Aug. 8, 1843; died at 
Chatham, N. J., May 21, 1902. 

4. Sarah Eliza, born April 18, 1845; died 
July 7, 1886. 

5. John Perkins, born Dec. 24, 1850; re- 
sides in Boston. 

6. Miriam Perkins, born Nov. 18, 1851; 
died June 20, 1895. 



HTSTOIilCAL SKETCHES OF BLUEHILL, MAINE. 



53 



The house and place remains in the fam- 
ily and is rented to summer residents for 
the season and closed winters. The writer 
remembers the bouse when beinj; built 
and also from that time to the present. 
In it he spent many a pleasant hour with 
Mr. and Mrs. Stevens, whose son Edgar 
was a sailor and an officer with him in 
ship "Electric Spark", first in ISlJl and 
again in 18(>1 and 1865, and who still holds 
a warm place in the memory and friend- 
ship of the writer. Those who share to- 
gether common hardships and dangers are 
not likely to easily forget each other as 
they from year to year grow older, and 
the time draws near for casting anchor 
and mooring ship for the last time on the 
voyage of life. 

THE MOSES p. CLOUOH HOUSE 
is the next below and adjoining the one 
last described. It was built by Capt. 
Moses P. Clough about ltJ31 or 1832 and oc- 
cupied by him and family until his death 
at sea June 28, 1836, of bilious fever. He 
was a sea captain and son of John and 
Polly (Coggins) Clough. The family con- 
sisted of four children, viz.: 

1. Moses, born Aug. 7, 1800; died March 
30, 1801. 

2. Moses Parker, born Feb. 5, 1802; died 
June 28, 1836. 

3. Warren, born June 19, 1804; died 
May 17, 1827. 

4. Polly, born Aug. 11, 1806. 

John Clough, father of this family, died 
Jan. 12, 1807, aged thirty-live years and 
nine months. Mrs. Polly Coggins Clough, 
mother of this family', married Jacob 
Ingalls for her second husband, and died 
July, 1853, aged about eight}' j'ears. 

Capt. Moses Parker Clough married 
Sally Prince, daughter of Reuben and 
Sally (Peters) Dodge, June 19, 1832. She 
was born Doc. 12, 1806. She married sec- 
ond, Weston Merritt, of Cherrytield, Dec. 
7, 1842. By Capt. Clough she had one 
daughter, Ellen Maria, born Feb. 9, 1833. 
After the death of Capt. Clough, and prior 
to 1810, the house and place were pur- 
chased by IJushrod W. Hincklcj*, esq., and 
was his home and that of his family until 
his and his wife's death and is at this writ- 
ing owned by daughters of theirs. 

Bushrod W. Hinckley was a lawyer, and 
for a number of years the only one in 
town. He was born in Thetford, Vt. He 



married Sarah F. Wilcox, by whom he had 
children as follows: 

1. Ellen Maria, born Dec. 23, 1831; mar- 
ried Daniel W. Kimball. 

2. Francis Bernhard, born Sept. 5, 1834. 

3. Caroline, born Sept. 29, 18-10; married 
first, Charles S. Blake; second, Silas C. 
Stone. 

Ilattie H., born April 29, 1842; died Jan. 
7, 1864. 

Mr. Hinckley died Dec. 17, 1869; Mrs. 
Hinckley July 5, 1889. Squire Hinckley, 
as he was called, was many years a mem- 
ber of the school committee of the town, 
a member of the legislature in 1832, 18^4, 
1837 and 1841, and at one time collector of 
customs at the Castine custom house. 

He delivered an address upon the cen- 
tennial of the town's settlement in 1862, 
which was printed in the papers, and was 
in other ways an influential citizen. 

THE ASA CLOUGH PLACE, 

opposite the one just described, the house 
still standing, was built by Samuel Baker 
in 1822 and sold to Mr. Clough in 1827. On 
Sept. 17, 1829, Mr. Clough married Louisa 
Ray, daughter of Matthew and Roxana 
Ray, born April 1, 1811, for his second 
wife; his first having been Abigail Sin- 
clair who died without children Dec. 3, 
1827, aged thirty-two years. Asa Clough 
died Nov. 20, 1861, aged sixty-two years 
and ten months. Mrs. Louisa Clough, his 
widow, died Nov. 18, 1881, aged seventy 
years and seven months. 

Mr. Clough was a ship carpenter and 
master builder of vessels, of which he 
built many and worked upon many more. 
He made the rudder and windlass of the 
brig Equator in 1850, the writer's first 
command. 

After his death and that of his wife, the 
place was occupied first bj' his sou Roscoe 
and family, and at this writing by his 
brother George A. and family, as a sum- 
mer residence. The children of Asa and 
Louisa Clough were: 

1. Charles Henry, born Oct. 19, 1830; 
died Dec. 7, 1849. 

2. Abby Louisa, born June 21, 1832; 
married Capt. Nichols. 

3. Roscoe, born Nov. 13, 1835; married 
Harriet Bridges. 

4. George Albert, born June 27, 1838; 
died Oct. 3, 1841. 



54 



HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF BLUEIIILL, MAINE. 



5. Ellen Elizabeth, born Jan. 20, 1841 
died April 21, 1841. 

6. George Albert, born May 27, 1843 
married Amelia M. Hinckley. 

7. William Pecker, born May 8, 1848 
married Ellen M. Lord. 

Koscoe Clough made a voyage from 
Boston to San Francisco as a sailor with 
the writer in the ship "Electric Spark" in 
1861. At San Francisco he went second 
mate of a barque commanded by Capt. J. 
Willard Friend, of Blue Hill. At his 
death in Boston, Feb. 12, 1890, the writer 
wrote his obituary, which was published 
in The Ellsworth American. By his 
wife Harriet, he had three children, Abby 
Beatrice, born Feb. 5, 1857; a son born 
Feb. 27, 1861; died March 30, 1861; and 
Louisa R., born Dec. 6, 1865. Mrs. Harriet 
Clough, his wife, died Aug. 13, 1881. 

THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, 
built in 1842-3, and dedicated Jan. 11, 
1843, stands next to the Asa Clough house 
just described. The writer was present at 
its dedication and sat in his father's pew, 
No. 9, on right side of the broad aisle. 
The invocation and scripture readings 
were by Rev. James Gilpatrick, pastor of 
the Baptist church; sermon by Rev. 
Jotham Sewall, jr., pastor of the church, 
from Hag. 2, 9th, "The glory of this latter 
house shall be greater than the former, 
saith the Lord of Hosts." 

The dedicatory prayer was by Rev. 
Sewall Tenney, of Ellsworth, and the 
closing prayer by "Father Fisher". The 
house was well filled by an attentive au- 
dience, and all of the services were of a 
highly interesting character to the writer, 
they being the first of the kind he had at- 
tended. That was sixty-two years ago! 
And the writer's thought, as he narrates 
the occurrence is, "How many beside him- 
self are alive this day of that filled house 
of active, living human beings?" He 
hears no answer to his mental inquiry, 
but he knows full well that only a few; if 
a few even have survived the wear and 
tear of departed years. 

In this meeting house the celebration of 
the centennial of the church organized 
in 1772 with fourteen members, was 
held Dec. 31, 1873. At that time the 
church membership in full, as per roll, 
had reached 438, most of whom had been 
called to the church above. 



Rev. Stephen Thurston, of Searsport, a 
former member of the church, preached an 
historical sermon of great interest, giving 
an account of the chief incidents in the his- 
tory of the town from its settlement, and 
of the church from its gathering, which 
was printed by vote of the church. At the 
evening services, brief addresses were 
made by Revs. Tenney, of Ellsworth; 
Thurston, of Searsport; Ives, of Castine; 
Houston, of Deer Isle; Raymond, of Blue- 
hill; Prof. Fletcher, of the Eastern State 
normal school; Rufus Buck, esq., of 
Bucksport, and othors. Letters were read 
from former Pastors Stone and Bunker, 
also from Revs. Josiah Fisher, M. L. Rich- 
ardson, H. A. Wines, E. A. Rand, Prof. 
Jotham Sewall, of Bowdoin college. Rev. 
Dr. Pond, of Bangor theological seminary, 
and from many absent sons and daughters 
of the church. 

A poem was read by Agustus Stevens, 
written by J. G. Harvey, of Portsmouth, 
N. H., for the occasion, and a centennial 
hymn by Miss Maria F. Wood. A sum of 
money amounting to $300, or more, was 
given by absent members of the church 
and town which was made a fund, the in- 
come to be used for church purposes. 

The closing wor Is of Mr. Thurston's 
sermon were: 

"A century hence where shall all we be 
found? One thing we know. These taber- 
nacles will be taken down and laid in the 
grave. The living will perhaps heedlessly 
trample over our sleeping dust. Our very 
names will be forgotten. Those then 
living will not know that we ever lived 
and acted our little part. Our last sleep 
shall continue ages after that period. But 
where will be our immortal spirits?" 

THE RAY-STEVENS-NORTON PLACE 

and house still stands opposite the meet- 
ing house. The land was sold to Na- 
thaniel Hartford by Nathan Parker in 1803 
for f30. The house was built by Nathaniel 
Hartford and Enoch Bidges and sold to 
Matthew Ray in 1812. He was a black- 
smith and edge-tool manufacturer, with 
factory and trip-hammer run by water 
power upon the Mill stream in the village, 
above the bridge at Main street. He re- 
moved from the town to Bangor before 
1840, and is supposed to have died in that 
city. He married, May 29, 1810, Roxana 
Nickerson, by whom he had 



HISTOBICAL SKETCHES OF BLUEIHLL, MAINE. 



55 



1. Louisa, born April 1, 1811; married 
Asa Clouffh, jr. 

2. Eunice Staples, born June 10, 1813; 
married Joel Parker. 

3. Harriot Newell, born Feb. 22, 1816. 

4. George Whitfield, born M;iy 2.5, 1818; 
died in ISii) or IS.'JO, on way to C'aliforjiia. 

5. \Villiam Niekerson, born May 5, 1820. 

6. John Hopkins, born Feb. 18, 1822; 
died March 13, 1822. 

7. Koxaua, born Feb. 2.9, 1828. 

Mrs. Koxana Ray, mother of above chil- 
dren, died March 20, 1S2S, and Mr. liay 
married Harriet Hinckley, daughter of 
Isuiab and Anner (Horton) Hinckley, Aug. 
2^1, 1829. By this marriage the birth of 
one child is entered in the Blue Hill 
records, viz.: 

8. Mnry Elb.abeth, born Aug. 27, 183.0. 
Mrs. Harriet Hay, mother of this child, 

died in March, 1817. 

Varnuni Stevens, son of Theodore and 
Dorcas (Osgood) Stevens, born Oct. 10, 
1791, with his family, was the occupant of 
this place in the earliest remembrance of it 
by writer. Mr. Stevens was a black- 
smith by trade, but gave up that business 
to his sons later in life. He died Oct. 5, 
1870, aged seventy-six years. He married 
Dec. 2, 1819, Susannah Brown, daughter of 
Nehemiah and Edith (Wood) Hinckley, 
born Feb. 21, 1793, and died on May 18, 
1857, aged 8ixtj--four years and thr.-e 
months. Their c.'iildren were: 

1. Eliza Holt, born Sept. 1, 1820; died 
Feb. 25, 18G2. 

2. Theodore, born Dec. 27, 1821; mar- 
ried Mnria P. Hinckley. 

3. Frederic Stillman, born April 15, 
1823; married Adelle Mann. 

4. Charles Varnum, born April 2, 1825; 
died at sea Oct. 3, 1815. 

5. Augustus, born April 4, 1829; mar- 
ried Emeline Googins. 

6. John Albert, born Jan. 17, 1832; mar- 
ried Frances E. Smith. 

>Mr. Stevens married a second wife, Mrs. 
Margaret H. Grindle, of Penobscot, March 
1, 1&'.8; she died Feb. 14, 1S()9, leaving no 
children by this union. Mr. Stevens' 
name in the records is given as Varnum, 
also as Edward Varnum. 

Capt. Steven Norton and family occu- 
pied this house and place after Mr. Stevens 
for some years, just how manj' the writer 
cannot state. He was a sea tH]>tain, born 
in the town of St. George, Me., March 22, 



1789; came to Blue Hill, where he con- 
tinued to make his home until his death 
Jan. G, 1873, aged nearly eighty-six years. 
He com;nandod coasting vessels between 
the town and IJoston until age and in'.irm- 
ities compelled him to retire from a sea 
life. The writer sailed with him in schooner 
"Zodiac", and the father of the writer also 
sailed with him when he was mate with 
Capt. Robert Means in the early part of 
the last century. 

Few men on the coast of Maine engaged 
in coasing were better known than was 
Capt. Norton. There were few if any 
harbors or anchorages between Blue Hill 
and Boston that he had not visited; as he 
became timid and careful as age crept upon 
him, and he did not take chances where 
anchorage seemed to hi:n to be more dis- 
creet. This criticism, though just in the 
writer's view of the case, is not intended 
to be hypercritical. 

Captain Norton was twice mirried— first 
Jan. 18, 1813, to Mehitable, daughter of 
Andrew and Mchitable Kimball Wiiham, 
born Aug. 28, 1797; she died July 10, 1835, 
leaving ten children. On Nov, 27, 1835, he 
married, second, Clarissa Carleton, daugh- 
ter of William and Pamelia (Osgood) Car- 
leton, born Feb. 7, 1813; died Nov. 17, 1873, 
aged sixty years and eight months. She 
also bore ten children, so that by two 
wives there w^ere twenty as follows, viz.: 
By first wife: 

1. Mary Witham, born Oct. 22, ^813; 
married WUlard Fisher. 

2. John Kimball, born 'Aug. 31, 1815; 
married Ruby Ann Hinckley. 

3. Stephen, born Feb. 25, 1818 ; died at 
sea May 17, 1815. 

4. William, born June 5, 1820; married, 
lived and died in Boston. 

5. Mehitable Kimball, born Oct. 23, 
1822; died March 6, 1841. 

6. Sophia Tenney, born June 5, 1825; 
died April 20, 1819. 

7. Priscilla Morse, born April 19, 1828; 
died in Boston. 

8. Frederick Henry, born Aug. 29, 1&29. 

9. Catherine, born May 19, 1832. 

10. Lois, born Oct. 7, 1831. 

By second wife: 

11. Harriet Webster, born Nov. 13, 1838. 

12. Hollis Wheeler, born Nov. 19, 1837. 

13. Clam Winilship, born Sept. 5, 1839; 
died Sept. 17, 1811. 



56 



HISTOBICAL SKETCHES OF BLUE HILL, MAINE. 



14. Francis Warren, born March 2, 1841. 

15. Granville, born March 18, 1843; died 
Sept. 2, 1843. 

16. Clara W,, born July 18, 1844; mar- 
ried Frederic S. Stevens. 

17. Mehitable Witham, born Aug. 27, 
1846; died Sept. 21, 1850. 

18. Stephen Kimball, born March 31, 
1849, 

19. Ann Buck, born Dec. 5, 1852. 

20. John Albert, born April 30, 1855. 
Beside these John Havlin was an adopted 
son of the family. 

Mrs. Clarissa Norton, the summer before 
her marriage to Capt. Norton, was the 
writer's school teacher in the Falls dis- 
trict. William Norton was also his teacher 
one winter in the same district. John 
Havlin, the adopted son, was the writer's 
schoolmate, shipmate and life-long friend. 
Miss Priscilla Norton was the writer's 
school friend at the academy, and at her 
death he wrote her obituary, so that in 
various ways the writer's life was linked 
with this family. 

BLUE HILL ACADEMY, 

a square wooden building, the first one, 
built in 1803, stood on the corner just be- 
low the last- described place until 1833, 
when it gave way for the present structure 
to be built that year, by being moved 
down the road to near the mill stream, 
where it did duty as a store until de- 
stroyed by fire twenty-five or thirty 
years thereafter. 

The writer remembers to have seen it in 
transit; after it was converted into a 
store, and also to have seen the present 
brick structure while being erected; to 
have attended school within it; later to 
see it abandoned for school purposes; a 
wreck shorn of its former importance. 
Its history the writer recited in 1903, at 
the centennial of the founding of the 
academy, which has been printed, leaving 
nothing more to be added at this time. 

THE SAMUEL SMITH PLACE. 
on which stood a brick one- story cottage 
built by John and Ames Arnold was the 
next below the academy. The writer does 
not remember when it was built, but it 
was probably about 1832. Samuel Smith, 
it is said, came from Beverly, Mass., to 
the town, and entered into trade of a gen- 
eral character in the village, keeping 
groceries, West India and other goods. 



He married Julia Ann Holt, Sept. 13, 
1833, daughter of Jeremiah Thorndike 
and Elizabeth (Osgood) Holt, born April 
2, 1812, and died July 22, 1858. Samuel 
Smith died Dec. 16, 1845. His birth and 
age are not given in the Blue Hill records. 
According to the remembrance of the 
writer he died suddenly in his store, the 
same now used as a grain room by A. C. 
Hinckley. The children of Mr. and Mrs. 
Samuel Smith were as follows, viz.: 

1. Albert, born Oct. 22, 1834; died in 
1857. 

2. Frances Elizabeth, born Sept. 4, 1836. 

3. Amy Ellen, born July 2, 1842. 

4. Benj. Edwards, born Jan. 28, 1845. 
After the death of Mr. and Mrs. Smith 

the place changed ownership and was oc- 
cupied by several parties, among whom 
was Mrs. Sarah E. Bent. Since then it 
has not only changed hands, but has 
changed its appearance and shape by ad- 
dition of a story with gables, to fit it to 
the liking of the present owner. Just be- 
low this house there stood in the writer's 
boyhood a blacksmith shop, upon the 
site of the house built and occupied by 
Mr. Venner, a photographer of the town. 

THE JONAH HOLT HOUSE AND PLACE, 
nearly opposite the academy and still 
standing, with the house some distance 
back from the street, was and still is a 
notable place. The house is supposed to 
have been built by Daniel Spofford about 
1800, later owned and occupied by Jonah 
Holt and family, later by a Mr. Guilford, 
then by Albina H. Carter, and at this 
writing, 1905, owned and occupied by Capt. 
William Ward Peters and family. 

Daniel Spofford is first mentioned in the 
town records in 1790 as having a store 
near the head of the bay, and also in 
connection with Mr. Robinson as having 
potash works at the town landing. He 
was interested in the building of the 
meeting house, served on committees con- 
nected therewith, and w'hen the floor 
pews in the house were sold at vendue, he 
bid off pew No. 39. He married, April 
11, 1794, Phebe Peters, daughter of John 
and Mary Peters. She was born March 13, 
1773, and died May 15, 1839. 

Mr. Spofford was born Feb. 18, 1766, 
where is not stated, and removed to 
Bucksport about 1803, where he died Oct. 
10, 1852, aged eighty-six years. He had 



HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF liLVEHILL, MAINE. 



67 



three children, born at Blue Hill, as 
follows : 

1. Parker, born Sept. 23, 179(5. 

2. Frederick, born Feb. 28, 1798. 

3. Kuby, born March 28, 1802. 

Jonah Molt, esq., is supposed to have 
bouijht this place from Mr. Spofford upon 
his removal from town. Jonah Holt was 
owner and occupant in the j'outh of the 
writer. He was the son of Jedediah and 
Sarah Thorndike Holt, born Nov. 4, 17S3; 
married, Hrst, Eliza Osjjood, daughter of 
Theodore and Dorcas (Osgood) Stevens, 
Feb. 27, 1811. She was born Dec. 8, 1792 
and died childless, Nov. 1817. 

He married, second, Almira W. Wilcox, 
March 11, 1819, by whom he had one 
daughter, Sarah Thorndike, born March 2, 
1850. She and her mother are both dead, 
and her father died Feb. 19, 1860, aged sev- 
enty-six years, three months and fifteen 
days. 

He was a representative to the legis- 
lature in 1836, a man of business activity, 
a store keeper, and largely interested in 
vessel- building and owning. He built, 
about 1835, the brick block afterwards 
known as the Pendleton house, in which 
he carried on business until near the time 
of his death. His widow continued a 
resident of the place for some years after 
his death and it was then sold to Albina 
H. Carter. 

Albina Hall Carter was the son of 
Robert, 2d, and Abigail Carter, born Dec. 
20, 1839; grandson of John, and great- 
grandson of Thomas, an early settler of 
the town who resided on Blue Hill Neck. 
He served in the war of the rebellion. He 
married Eunice M. Carter, by whom he 
had the following named children: 

1. Katie May, born May 16, 1866. 

2. Mark Haskell, born July 13, 1867. 

3. Wallace Hall, born Oct. 18, 1870. 

4. Bert Leslie, born May 28, 1872. 

6. Charles Sumner, born Feb. 4, 1874. 

6. Son, born Dec. 18S0. 

7. Herman A., born Jan. 26, 1882. 

Mr. Carter died on Jan. 4, 1887. His 
widow and family continued to occupy 
the place for some years after his death, 
and then it was sold to its present occu- 
pant, Capt. William W. Peters. 

Capt. Peters is a native of the town and 
son of Lemuel E. D. and Betsey (Wood) 
Peters, k>orii Dec. 26, 1835. He was a sea 



captain, retired, and with his wife and 
daughter occupies the place. Capt. Peters 
is the grandson of John Peters, esq., one 
of the early and influential settlers of the 
town and a nephew of Daniel Spofford, 
whose wife was Phebe Peters, the builder 
of the house. 

THE FREDERIC 8TILLMAN STEVENS HOUSE 
is the next below the one just described, 
upon the lower corner of :he road leading 
to Parker's Point. It was built by Mr. 
Stevens, in the early 50's, and occupied 
bj' him until his death in 1881. He was 
the third child of Edward Varnura Stev- 
ens and of Sukey, his wife, born April 15, 
1823. Ho was twice marri'.-d, first to Mary 
Ann Adel Mann, daughter of Capt. Joseph 
and Adeline (Hinckley) Mann. She was 
born May 9, 1830; married, and died March 
14, 1870. There were five children by this 
marriage, viz.: 

1 Grace Adel, born April 16, 1854. 

2. Daughter, born Feb. 11, 1856; died 
March 27, 1856. 

3. Susan L., born Jan 30, 1857; died 
Dec. 1866. 

4. Daughter, born Oct. 31, 1860; died 
July 21, 1862. 

5. Daughter, born March 25, 1868. 

Mr. Stevens married, second, Clara W. 
Norton, daughter of Capt. Stephen and 
Clarissa (Carleton) Norton, She was born 
July 18, 1841. By this marriage there was 
born one daughter, Margaret, April 2, 
1880. 

Mr. Stevens was a blacksmith, having 
learned the trade from his father. He died 
of cancer of stomach. His first wife died 
of consumption. The house still stands 
and is occupied by James Bettel. There 
are other houses between it and the Reu- 
ben Dodge place, but they are modern and 
not of historic value. 

THE DEACXJN BENJAMIN STEVENS HOCSE 

and place are on the north side of Main 
street opposite the Parker's Point road 
and the next to be described. This house 
was built by Theodore Stevens, who was 
born in Andover, Mass., Julj* 12, 1763, 
and came to Blue Hill in 1791. The exact 
date of building the house is not known, 
but is supposed to have been about 1800. 
Theodore Stevens' wife was Dorcas Os- 
good, whom he married Oct. 4, 1791. She 
was born March 21, 1763; died April 27, 



58 



HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF BLUE HILL, MAINE. 



1832; he died May 15, 1820, Their chUdren 
were as follows : 

1. Elizabeth Os.srood, born Dec. 8, 1792; 
married Jonah Holt in 1811 and died, leav- 
ing no children, Nov. 1847. 

2. Edward Varnum, born Oct. 10, 1794; 
married first Susannah Hinckley, by 
whom he had six children ; second, Mar- 
garet H. Grindle, no children; he died 
May 18, 1857. 

3. Benjamin, born June 1, 1796; mar- 
ried Polly, daughter of Kev. Jonathan 
Fisher, Nov. 11, 1829; she was born Feb. 12 
1808; died in 1878. He died May 22, 1873, 
in his seventy-seventh year. He and his 
family resided in the old house, which is 
still owned and occupied by his children. 
He was a carder of wool and a dresser and 
fuller of woolen cloths. He was deacon 
of the Congregational church for many 
years and a man of piety and high stand- 
ing. He had six children as follows : viz. : 

1. Mary Louisa Mason, born August 15, 
1830; married Samuel E. Kimball. 

2. Harriet Elizabeth, born Oct. 2, 1832; 
twice married; first husband, Jeppe 
Knudson; second, Reuben Morton; now a 
widow at homestead. 

3. Sarah Fisher, born Sept. 25, 1834; 
married Otis Hinckley; died Oct. 20, 1897. 

4. Henry Martyn, born Aug, 22, 1837; 
resides at the old homestead. 

5. Elvina Stevens, born Aug. 20, 1839; 
died Oct. 25, 1839. 

6. Albert Cole, born Sept. 18, 1842; re- 
sides at the old homestead. 

The fourth child of Theodore and Dor- 
cas Stevens was Lydia Faulkner, born 
May 22, 1798; married Simeon Parker, 
Nov. 4, 1818, by whom she had three chil- 
dren, Simeon, Simeon and Maria, all 
dying in infancy. She died in 1860. The 
fifth child was Lucretia, born March 18, 
1801; died March 31, 1801. The sixth child 
was Elvina, born May 7, 1802; married 
Joseph Hinckley; had one daughter, 
Lizzie, now dead. She died Oct. 8, 1901. 
The seventh child was John, born June 
12, 1804; married Mary Jane Perkins of 
Castine. Both are dead; their family rec- 
ord previously given. 

THE NATHAN ELLIS HOUSE 

and place next to the one last described 
was built by Mr. Ellis in the early part of 
1800, probably as early as 1810. Nathan 
Ellis was born in Bellingham, Mass., in 



March, 1777. He married first, Mary Bass, 
Aug. 14, 1801. She died April 10, 1804, 
leaving one son, Vespasian, born at the 
Falls, Jan. 11, 1802, who was town clerk 
many years and died at an advanced age. 
Nathan Ellis married, second, Sally 
Osgood, March 14, 1810. She died Dec. 7, 
1814, and he married, third, Dolly B. 
Newell, Oct. 31, 1818. She was born Sept. 
13, 1789; died Feb. 6, 1860. The children 
of this family were. 
By first wife: 

1. Vespasian, never married, born as 
above stated. 

By second wife: 

2. Mary Bass, born March 2, 1811; died 
July 3, 1851. 

3. Nathan, born Nov. 10, 1812; married 
Susan Gardiner; died at AQdover,'Mass. 

4. Lemuel, born Nov. 29, 1814; married; 
died in California. 

By third wife: 

6. Reuben NeweU, born Aug. 25, 1819; 
twice married; died at.Somerville, Mass., 
in 1890. 

6. Jonathan, born Nov. 16, 1820; mar- 
ried; died in California. 

7. Edward, born March 1, 1822; died 
Nov. 5, 1828. 

8. Sarah Battell, born Aug. 2, 1828; died 
in Boston; never married. 

9. Elizabeth .-mith, born AprU 7, 1826; 
married F. A. Holt ; died in Boston March 
16, 1894. 

10. Edward Henry, born May 1, 1830; 
went to California. 

Nathan Ellis, head of this family, died 
April, 1848, aged seventv-one years. He 
was a member of the legislature, a store 
keeper, ship owner, many years town 
clerk, and an exemplary man. There is 
none of the family residing in the town 
at this writing, in 1905. After his death 
and the removal of his children from 
town, the house was occupied by various 
parties, the last being Jonah 

Dodge and family. The place was then 
purchased by the town as a site for the 
new town hall erected thereon in 1895. 

THE EBEN M. GARLAND HOUSE 

opposite the town hall, was built by Mr. 
Garland in the '40's. He was a shoemaker, 
and there carried on his trade for a 
number of years. He was a soldier of the 
Aroostook warj in 1839, in the Blue Hill 



HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF BLUE HILL, MAINE. 



59 



company of which Nathan Ellis, jr., A-as 
the captain. 

Mr. Uarland was born at Hampden, 
Jan. 22, 1820, came to Blue Hill when a Ind 
and married Elvira Gregory, Maj' 27, 18^10, 
daughter of William and Edna Gregory, 
born Nov. 21, 1822. There were two chil- 
dren by this marriage: 

1. William Albert, born May 16, 1841; 
died Aug. 6, 1866. 

2. Sarah Eliza, born March 28, 1847. 

Mrs. Garland died, and the house was 
sold, Mr. Garland removing from town, 
but later he returned, purchased the Jo- 
seph Osgood place, married a second wife, 
but had DO children by her. Both are 
dead. 

THE ANDREW A. AND ABRAHAM FI8K 

houses and places were next to and adjoin- 
ing the Garland place, where now stands 
the Copper and Gold hotel. They were 
small houses, painted red as the writer 
remembers them in boyhood. The Fisks 
were shoemakers, if the writer's memory 
is correct. 

Andrew and Abraham Fisk were broth- 
ers, but where and when they were 
born or whence they came to this town 
there is no date in possession of the 
writer, or when their houses were built, 
although they were standing in the earli- 
est recollections of the writer. Andrew 
Fisk married March 12, 1827, Almira, 
daughter of Freeman and Thankful 
Hardin; she was born Nov. 15, 1802. 
Their children were: 

1. George Washington, born Sept. 7, 
1827; resided in Ellsworth. 

2. Andrew Jackson, born Nov. 12, 1828; 
resided in Boston. 

3. Benjamin Franklin, born Jan. 30, 
1830. 

4. Frederick Lorenzo, born March 10, 
1833. 

5. James Madison, born Sept. 24, 1834. 

6. Rodney, born Sept. 9, 1836. 

7. Helen Adelpha, born Nov. 15, 1838; 
died Oct. 10, 1839. 

8. Almira Rebecca, born April 15, 1840; 
died Aug. 28, 18^11. 

9. Mary Jane, born Oct. 13, 1842. 

10. John Freeman, born May 10, 1847. 

Mr. Fisk married Sarah E. Millikeo for 
a second wife, by whom he had 

11. Abby Frances, born April 1869. 



12. Abraham Allen, born April 15, 1861 ; 
died Sept. 27, 1865. 

13. A son, born Jan. 16, 1870. 

14. A child, born May 1872. 

Mr. Fisk, father of this family, died in 
1882. 

Abraham Fisk married Sarah E. John- 
son, of Hampden, Sept. 13, 18»1, which 
may indicate that he came from that town 
to Blue Hill. By that marriage there were 
four children born to them on the follow- 
ing dates: Dec. 31, 1835; Feb. 28, 1839; 
Dec. 17, 1840, and May 24, 1846, but no 
names for them are entered in the town 
records. When or where Mr. and Mrs. 
Fisk died, or when they left the town 
there is no record. 

JEREMIAH T. HOLT PLACE, 

The next house and place to the Fisks' 
is the Jeremiah T. Holt house and place, 
for many years a tavern named "Trav- 
ellers Home", with swinging sign sus- 
pended from a post in front, and for many 
years the only tavern or hotel in the 
village. 

Jeremiah Thorndike Holt was the 
second son of Jedediah Holt, and grand- 
son of Nicholas, who came to the town 
from Andover in May 1765, bettled;at the 
Falls, and was the first keeper of a public 
house in the infant settlement. Jeremiah 
Thorndike Holt was born May 12,1781; 
married Elizabeth, daughter of Joseph 
and Hannah Bailey Osgood, Nov. 24, 1808. 
She was born Nov. 5, 1789, and died Feb. 4. 
1858. He died in April, 1832. The chil- 
dren of that marriage were: 

1. Jeremiah, born Dec. 27, 1810; died 
Nov. 1, 1816. 

2. Julia Ann, born April 2, 1812; mar- 
ried Samuel S.Smith; died July 22,1863. 

3. Frederic Alex, born Feb. 20, 1814, 
died Nov. 6, 1814. 

4. Jeremiah Thorndike, born May 8, 
1817: married Lovinia Darling. 

5. Frederic Alex, born Feb 12, 1821; 
married Elizabeth Ellis; died in Boston. 

6. Thomas Jefferson Napoleon, born 
Nov. 1, 1827; married Clarissa E. Peters. 

After the death of the head of this 
family, his widow carried on "Travellers 
Home" until the marriage of her 3'oung- 
est son, Thomas Jefferson Napoleon, to 
Clarissa E. Peters on Aug. 6, 1851. He 
brought his bride to the home to live, and 
the house as a tavern ceased. Napoleon, 



60 



HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF BLUE HILL, MAINE. 



aB he was known by the people of the 
town, attended the school at the academy 
with the writer, and also Miss Peters, who 
later became his wife. In August, 1901, 
they celebrated their golden wedding an- 
niversary, when the writer had the pleas- 
ure of sending them his congratulations 
in verse through the mail. Within two 
years of that date he passed on to the 
other life beyond the river. 

He was a painter by trade, and a pleas- 
ant friend, as boy and man, to meet and 
know as the writer knew him. His widow 
still occupies the old house in summer, 
but has spent the last two winters in Bos- 
ton with her only living child, a daughter. 
She had three children by her marriage: 

1 Alice Annetta, born Nov. 7, 1854. 

2. Clara Peters, born April 2, 1857; died 
May 16, 1882. 

3. Maud M., born AprU 17, 1866; died 
Dec. 12, 1880. 

The house, built more than seventy-five 
years ago, stUl stands in good repair, as a 
landmark in the village, and seems good 
for as many years more as it has already 
stood. 

In that house Dr. Fulton had his home, 
and oflBce for many years, to it he brought 
his bride when he was married to Miss 
Abby M. Redman, of Brooksville, Jan. 13, 
1849. He "sleeps with his fathers" but 
she is alive, well and youthful, beyond 
what would be expected of one of her 
years. 

THE BRICK BLOCK 

next to the last described place has been 
partially described, but not wholly. In 
it Jonah Holt, its buUder, kept his store 
in the east end of the ground floor, while 
in the other Frederic A. Holt, his nephew, 
kept a store and the postofiice. Above, the 
writer remembers that Lemuel Ellis once 
resided, and he seems to hear even now 
the sweet tones of his violin, French horn, 
and other instruments upon which he 
played, as he heard them more than sixty 
years ago. To the residents and visitors 
in later years the block will be remem- 
bered as the "Pendleton House", kept as a 
hotel. 

THE JOSEPH OSGOOD HOUSE 

and place were the next to the south of 
the last described. It was an old-fash- 
ioned, two-story, square-roofed house, 
minus paint, as early as the writer can re- 



member, built by Joseph Osgood about 
1800, and occupied by him and family un- 
til he was old and past his labor, when he 
was cared for by his nephew, the late 
John Stevens, esq. 

Mr. Osgood was born at Andover, Mass., 
Oct. 6, 1760; married Hannah Bailey, 
March 31, 1785. She was born Dec. 19, 
1766; died July 10, 1829. He died March 
15, 18.54, in his ninety- fourth year. He 
came to Blue Hill shortly after his mar- 
riage, and there resided up to the time of 
his death. 

He was a brickmaker and mason by 
trade. He used to say that he could build 
a brick chimney beginning at the top just 
as well as beginning at the base, if he 
could only get the first brick to stay in its 
place. The chimney in the tide mill, 
owned by the writer's father, fell down, 
leaving the top sticking in the roof. Mr. 
Osgood was sent for to rebuUd it, and 
came, when the writer and his brothers 
said to him: "Now, Mr. Osgood, you told 
us in the past that if you could make the 
first bricks stick you could build a chim- 
ney at the top and work downwards. Here 
is a chance for you to try it." 

"Ah, boys!" said he, "the bricks must 
all be new to do that, for you can't make 
a new brick stick to an old one." And in 
that way he cleared himself of an awk- 
ward dilemma in the eyes of the boys. 
He was a kindly man, with a cheerful 
story for the young people, who were very 
fond of him. 

THE TOWN LANDING 
in front of the Osgood house is where, by 
vote of the town, Spofford & Robinson es- 
tablished potash works. The vote of the 
town Oct. 4, 1790, concerning the same, 
was as follows : 

"Voted, That Messrs. Spofford & Rob- 
inson shall have the privilege of the land 
whereon their potash works stand, and 
such quantity of land adjoining said 
works as the selectmen and said Spofford 
& Robinson shall agree upon for twenty 
years, with the proviso that the Inhabi- 
tants of the Town shall not incumber to 
the disadvantage of their business nor 
shall they incumber any part of said Town 
landing to the disadvantage of the Inhab- 
itants of said Town." 

Upon that landing many seagoing ves- 
sels were built in the past, and upon it 



HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF BLUE HILL, MAINE. 



01 



yearlj' were piled ready for shipment to 
western ports in tl»e summer season, hun- 
dreds and thousands of cords of wood, 
hemlock bark and other products of farm 
and forest. In the writer's boj-hood it was 
not uncommon to see from six to a dozen 
Bail of coasting vessels there loading or 
awaiting turn to load. 

THE THOMAS COOOIKB HOU8K 

next south of the landing and adjoining 
the Joseph Osgood place, was a two-story 
Btructure, with brick eids. It was built 
about 1831, by Capt. Thomns Coggins, who 
with his familj' occupied it until he sold 
to Joseph Hinckley. Capt. Coggins died 
in 1858, and his wife March 27, 1860. 

Capt. Coggins probably came from Surry 
to Bluehill, and there married Dec. 30, 
1829, Lydia Faulkner (Stevens) Parker, 
widow of Simeon Parker and daughter of 
Theodore and Dorcas Stevens, born May 
22, 1798. She had three children by her 
first husband: Simeon, Simeon and Maria, 
all dying in infancy. Simeon Parker, 
her first husband, died Feb. 14, 1826, and 
she married Capt. Coggins as above stated. 

Capt. Coggins commanded several Blue- 
hill vessels, and was considered a capable 
and enterprising shipmaster of his time. 
The writer in boyhood knew him by 
report, but had no special acquaintance 
with him. He was one of the many who 
made the town noted, sixtj' or seventy 
years ago, for the number, skill and repu- 
tation of its seamen and master mariners. 
A chapter upon the lives, characters and 
achievements of Blue Uill shipmasters 
would prove instructive and interesting. 

The next owner and occupant of the 
place was Dea. Joseph Hinckley and fam- 
ily, until his death in 1881, aged eighty- 
seven years. He was the fourth child of 
Nehemiah and Edith (Wood) Hinckley, 
born July 8, 1798; married first Ruby Kim- 
ball, Aug. 22, 1822. She died Nov. 8, 
1836; and he married, second, Elvina 
Stevens, Nov. 13, 1837. The children of 
Mr. Hinclcley were: 
By first wife: 

1. Ruby Ann, born Nov. 21, 1822; mar- 
ried Capt. John Kimball Norton. 

2. Joseph Thomas, born Sept. 21, 1824; 
married, Anna 1). Col burn. 

3. Edward, born Aug. 13, 1826; married 
Margaret Jar via. 



4. John Lemuel, born July 8, 1828; 
removed to California. 

5. Almira Rebecca, born Sept. 13, 1830; 
married Dudley Scammons, of Franklin. 
Now a widow. 

6. Julia Dodge, born March 4, 1833; 
died Aug. 2.'), 18.53. 

7. Wheelock Wesner, born March 20, 
1835; married Mary L. Treworgy; he died 
Jan. 19, 1869. 

By second wife: 

8. Lizzie Maria, born Oct. 29, 1840, died 
unmarried a few years ago. 

Dea. Hinckley was one of the foremost 
business men of the town, and also in 
matters pertaining to the church, of which 
he was a member. At his death the fol- 
lowing entry was made upon the records 
of the Congregational church of the 
town : 

"DEA. JOSEPH HINCKLEY." 

"No history of this church would be 
complete without fitting allusion to the 
memory of Dea. Joseph Hinckley, who 
died Nov. 7, 1884, aged eighty- seven years. 
Mr. Hinckley was a member of this church 
for nearly fifty years. Of him and his 
brother Nehemiah, it may well be said 
that they were for many years the very 
pillars of the church and society; they 
loved the church and loved it well. 

"Dea. Hinckley was a very liberal man, 
and to his liberality, activity, energy and 
zeal the church and society are largely 
indebted. In the fullness of hi.s years, 
full of faith and ripe for the reaper, he 
answered the call: come over; come over, 
the river of Death to the delights of a 
brighter and better world." 

Mrs. Hinckley and her daughter Lizzie 
followed him in due time, after which the 
place was sold to Mr. Hoyt, its present 
owner and occupant. Mr. Hoyt is a wid- 
ower, whose deceased wife was the daugh- 
ter of the late Capt. Isaac Merrill, of this 
town. Mr. Hoyt was born in Vermont, 
but all his active busiuess life has beeo 
spent in Boston and vicinity. 

THE STEPHEN HOLT HOUSE 

and place adjoins the one last described, 
and was built probably about 1825. 
Stephen Holt was the fifth son of Jedediah 
Holt, born May 10, 1788, and died May 16, 
1830, of consumption. He married Edy, 
daughter of Robert and Ruth (Wood) 
Parker, Nov. 23, 1819. She was born Mar. 



62 



HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF BLUEHILL, MAINE. 



3, 1795; died at Thomaston, Me. They had 
two children: 

1. Charlotte Augusta, born April 13, 
1821; married Ephraim Barrett of Thom- 
aston Oct. 1, 1842, and removed to her 
husband's home. 

2. Sarah Thorndike, born Aug. 18, 
1822; died Nov. 18, 1831. 

After the removal of Mrs. Holt and 
daughter, the house was occupied by 
different parties, but finally became the 
property of Wilford Grindle, the present 
owner and occupant. 

THE BOBEBT P. BWEE HOUSE 
opposite the last named, was built by Mr. 
Ewer about 1840, and occupied by him 
until he left the town. It has since been 
owned and occupied by various persons, 
but IS now the property of John M. Snow. 
Mr. Ewer came to Blue Hill a young man. 
He was a house carpenter, and built the 
John Cheever house at the Falls in 1834 or 
1835. He married, Sept. 3, 1839, Nancy 
Fisher, daughter of Joseph W. and Sally 
(Grindle) Johnson. She was born May 4, 
1818. They had chUdren as follows: 

1. Sarah Elizabeth, born Sept. 16, 1839. 

2. Mary Porter, born Aug. 12, 1842. 

3. Lewis Cass, born Sept. 20, 1846. 

4. Harriet Ada, born June 13, 1849. 

5. Franklin Pierce, born Dec. 29, 1851. 

Returning to Main street, north side, 
one finds a building on the corner of 
Union street built since the boyhood of 
the writer, owned and occupied by various 
persons, the lower part occupied as a store, 
but of no particular moment from an his- 
toric point of view, 

THE ANDREW WITHAM HOUSE 

next east of the above on the corner of 
Main and Mill streets, has a history 
worthy of recital. Just when it was built 
is difficult to determine, but it was prob- 
ably early in 1800, by Mr. Witham. He 
was born in Bradford, Mass., Nov. 11, 
1768; came to Blue HUl a young man; mar- 
ried, first, Mehitable Kimball, May 9, 
1790. She was born Jan. 24, 1770; died 
Aug. 8, 1800. There were four children by 
that marriage as follows : 

1. Charlotte Kimball, born Sept. 7, 
1790; married Capt. Robert Means. 

2. John Gibson, born Sept. 18, 1794; 
died at Port au Prince, May 1812. 



3. Mehitable, born Aug. 28, 1798; mar- 
ried Capt. Stephen Norton. 

4. Harriet, born May 4, 1800; died Feb. 
8, 1801. 

Mr. Witham married second, Molly 
Parker, Oct. 20, 1801; daughter of Col. 
Nathan and Molly (Wood) Parker, born 
May 30, 1770; died July 13, 1830, leaving 
two children. 

5. Ira, born July 19, 1802; married Bet- 
sey Hinckley; he died 18 

6. Otis, born July 9, 1804; died at sea 
Jan. 12, 1828. 

Mr. Witham married third, Mrs. Ann 
Chadwick, AprU 12, 1831 ; she died July 2, 
1836. 

Andrew Witham represented the town 
in the legislature of 1831, was a senator 
from Hancock county, a merchant, a ship- 
owner and an influential citizen. His pew 
in the old meeting-house was No. 1. 

His one story brick store stood a short 
distance east of his house, as the writer 
well remembers, and was built early in 
the last cent'-ry. It long ago gave place 
to one of wood on the same site. He sold, 
among other things, the old style square 
sheets of baker's molasses gingerbread, 
of which boys were fond, and would not 
likely forget where it could be bought. 

"Squire Witham," as he was called by 
the town's people, was a kindly man to 
the boys and young people with whom he 
came in contact, which was reciprocated 
by them. He died in 1851, aged eighty- 
three years, respected and lamented by a 
large circle of relatives and friends. 

His house was occupied after his death 
by his son-in-law, Capt. Stephen Norton, 
until his decease in 1873, and then by Mr. 
Smith, the shoe dealer, and wife, and now 
owned by Mrs. Smith. 

Between the Witham store and the mill 
stream, there were no buildings in the 
youth of the writer, but in later years 
several were buUt, and occupied by H. B. 
Darling, J. A. Gould, B. Morrill, John 
Stevens, esq., and others, though of little 
historical significance. 

On the opposite side of the street stood 
the old academy, removed from its origi- 
nal site in 1833, and changed over into a 
store, and occupied by Capt William Hop- 
kins, with other buildings in that row 
destroyed by fire many years ago. The 
most important in that row to-day are the 
Partridge and the J. T. Hinckley stores. 



HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF BLUEHILL, MAINE. 



63 



THE MILLS BELOW THE BRIDGE, 

built in the early settlement of this part 
of the town, though changed and rebuilt 
from tune to time, still stand. Above the 
bridge the writer remembers the Matthew 
Ray edge tool shop, the Curtis furniture 
factory, the Daniel Osgood grist mill, the 
threshing mill, the Stevens carding and 
fulling mill, the stave mill, the coo{>er 
shop and the site of the George Stevens 
cotton mill for spinning cotton yarn, 
above High street, erected in the early 
part of 1800, one of the early cotton mills 
of this country. Other mills and ma- 
chinery not here mentioned may have 
been run by the waters of this small 
stream, all of which bear witness to im- 
portance once attached to this water 
power in the town's activities. Will they 
or those of a kindred nature ever t)e re- 
vived? It seems to be very doubtful to 
the citizens of 1905. 

All the men, women and children of 
the early settlers of the town, and even 
their grandchildren, whose lives and 
doings we have been considering, "sleep 
with their fathers" in the burying places 
of the town or elsewhere, and only a few 
houses of their building and a few meager 
records tell the story of their living ac- 
tivities, their loves, their hopes, their 
hardships, their fears, their joys and their 
sorrows. 

The greater part of those known to the 
writer in his boyhood have gone "to that 
bourne from whence no traveler returns", 
and when he visits his native town, it is 
to the cemeteries he directs his steps if he 
desires to learn of and commune with his 
thoughts concerning them. 

And yet the story of their lives must 
ever be of interest to the citizens and peo- 
ple of this town, and especially so to 
those who are their descendants. It has 
been especially so to the writer in gather- 
ing and noting the facts and incidents 
narrated in this fragmentary and imper- 
fect account of them. 

He feels a just pride in being descended 
from the tirst settlers, in being a native of 
the town, in sharing the friendships and 
in Ijeing held in remembrance by so many 
of his native townsmen, whose kindly 
good will felt and expressed has made 
his journey through life the sunnier, 
smoother, easier and happier. 



"Brchthrs there a m.in with soul so dead 
That never to hinimlf hath said 
This Is my own, my native land ? 
Nor e'er within his Itosnm ijurnod 
As home his footrtt ps he hath turned 
From wand'rInK on a foreign etrand?** 



FROM THE FOUR CORNERS NEAR THE SITE 
OF THE OLD MEETINQ-HOUSE CX3NTIN- 
UINO MAIN STREFH" TO THE SEDG- 
WICK TOWN LINE. 

The house on the northwest corner of 
the four roads was built by Moses John- 
son, son of Obed and Joanna (Wood) 
Johnson, about 1810, and occupied by him 
and his family until their removal from 
the town to Boston in the 'SO's of the last 
century. Moses Johnson was born Feb. 
9, 1800; married Rosella Hinckley Nov. 27, 
1828, daughter of Ebenezer and Elizabeth 
(Coggins) Hinckley, born June 17, 1804. 
She died in Boston in 1888. He died in 
Boston ten or a dozen years before his 
wife. They had seven children, as follows, 
viz.: 

1. Ed^^ard Moses, born Jan. 17, 1830; 
married Sarah E. Leach. 

2. George Henry, born April 14, 1831, 

3. Charles Carroll, born April 14, 1833. 

4. Francis Howard, born Oct. 10, 1835. 

5. Mary Louisa, born Aug. 21, 1838. 

6. Clara Elizabeth, born Jan. 21, 1841. 

7. Abby, born Nov. 10, 1844. 

Mr. Johnson inherited a large part of 
his father's farm, and was a farmer and an 
active man. He sold his property in town, 
removed to Boston, where he was a com- 
mission merchant for the sale of lumber, 
wood and eastern products and where he 
died as above stated. 

The house was next owned by Capt. 
Samuel B. Johnson, nephew of its builder, 
and son of Rot)ert, son of Ot>ed and 
Joanna (Wood) Johnson, born Oct. 30, 
1812. He married Susan Mary, daughter 
of Joseph and Susannah (Door) Treworgy, 
Nov. 20, 1841. She was born Nov. 23, 1820. 
Capt. Johnson commanded vessels from 
Blue Hill in the coasting. West Indies and 
European trades for many years, and waf 
captured and had his vessel burnt by a 
Confederate cruiser during the war of the 
Rebellion. He and his wife were well 
known to the writer, she having been, 
t)efore her marriage, one of his school 
teachers in the Tide Mill district. Thej 
are both dead, but the date of their death 



64 



HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF BLUE HILL, MAINE. 



the writer does not have. Their children 
were as follows, viz.: 

1. Edwin Augustus, born Nov. 4, 1843; 
died at sea Jan. 1883. 

2. George Samuel, born Dec. 11, 1845. 

3. Arthur Hawes, born Oct. 15, 1847; 
married Alice P. Carter. 

4. Mary Louisa, born June 6, 1859; mar- 
ried Benjamin E. Fowler of Searsmont. 

Since the death of Capt. Johnson and 
wife, the house has been vacant the greater 
part of the time. 

THE KOBERT JOHNSON HOUSE 

and place were the next west of the one 
just described, and upon the north side of 
the road. Robert Johnson was the father 
of Capt. Samuel, and son of Obed and 
Joanna (Wood) Johnson. He was born 
Dec. 27, 1787; married Lucy Johnson 
Blodgett, April 15, 1811, of Penobscot. 

The house in which they resided and 
where their children were born was orig- 
inally of one story, built shortly after or 
about the time of their marriage, but had 
another story added overhanging the 
lower part in the boyhood of the writer, 
Robert Robertson, jr., who was quite a 
wag, said of it, "I came by 'Bob' John- 
son's house the other day and found his 
barn sitting on top of it as easy as could 
be. But it was a curious sight." The 
house and barn astride have long since 
been demolished. 

Robert Johnson was something of a wit, 
especially when he had taken a nipper, as 
was the custom in his early manhood. It 
is related of him that at haying time many 
years ago he boasted that he could stow a 
load of hay upon the old style hay cart, 
called a sloven, no matter how fast the 
hay was to be pitched up to him. He had 
his trial of skill in that matter one day in 
his father's field with two men to do the 
pitching. It was on a side hill that the 
feat began. All went well at first, but a 
jolt over a knoll on the side hill brought 
half the load and Robert to the ground. 
One of the pitchers said : "Robert, what 
ara you down here for?" The answer was 
quickly given and to the point: "After 
more hay, sir!" 

Mr. Johnson, his wife and probably all 
or near all of their large family of nine 
children have gone to their long home and 
rest. Their children were, viz. : 



1. Samuel Blodgett, born Oct. 30, 1812; 
married Susan Mary Treworgy. 

2. Bradshaw, born Sept. 25, 1814. 

3. Franklin, born Oct. 12, 1816. 

4. Eliza Hawes, born Feb. 26, 1819. 

5. Abigail Wood, born Aug. 1, 1821. 

6. John Hawes, born April 11, 1824; died 
Aug. 31, 1825. 

7. Harriet Edes, bom Aug. 7, 1826. 

8. John Hawes, born April 23, 1829. 

9. Emily Mann, born Dec. 11, 1832. 

THE HOUSE OP REV. JONATHAN FISHER, 

the first settled minister of the town and 
pastor of the Congregational church for 
forty-one years, 1796 to 1837, located upon 
the south side of the road just beyond the 
Johnson house last mentioned, and built 
about 1798 or 1799, is the next to be de- 
Bcribed. That house was built after plans 
furnished by Mr. Fisher, and it is said 
that a considerable part of the work 
thereon was done by him. 

The hinges, latches and catches for the 
doors were all of wood made by him, and 
as also a part of the furniture, including a 
clock which ran for fifty years and then 
stopped, worn out. The house was 
painted with ochre dug from the farm and 
mixed with oil, giving to it a lustreless 
yellow color. 

The outbuildings were built by him. 
He also constructed a machine to run by 
wind for sawing his firewood, and a ma- 
chine for clearing his land of stones to be 
laid into fence walls about his farm. This 
is in many ways the most notable house 
and place m the town, and is often visited 
by strangers and sojourners in the town 
and vicinity. It is still standing, and oc- 
cupied by some of his grandchildren. 

Jonathan Fisher was born in New 
Braintree, Mass., Oct. 7, 1768, graduated at 
Harvard college, settled at Blue Hill July 
13, 1796, and died in the town Sept. 22, 
1847, aged seventy-nine years. He mar- 
ried Miss Dolly Battell, of Dedham, Mass., 
April 2, 1796, and brought her to Blue 
Hill, where she ever after resided. She 
was born Feb. 24, 1770, and died Oct. 1, 
1853, in her eighty- fourth year. Their 
children were as follows: 

I. Jonathan, born March 12, 1798; died 
March 10, 1815. 

II. Sally, born Oct. 22, 1799; married 
Nov. 20, 1823; died Nov. 27, 1824; no 
children. 



HISTOniGAL SKETCHES OF BLUEHILL, MAINE. 



65 



En, Betsey, bom Jan. 7, 1801; married 
Jersininh Stevens, a sea captain of Eden, 
afterwiirds of Portland; they had several 
children. 

IV. Josiah, born Oct. 17, 1802; a gradu- 
ate of Princeton college, N. J.; settled in 
New Jersey as a 'gospel preacher; died in 
1875; was married in ISSJ in New Jersey; 
had a son who was also a New Jersey 
clergyman, and perhaps other children. . 

V. Nancy, born Aug. 19, 1804; married 
Hosoa Kittredge, Nov. 18, 1830; he was 
graduated from Amherst college in 1828; 
for a numbvr of years preceptor of Blue 
Hill academy; removed to the West pre- 
vious to 1810 and died at Marshall, Mich- 
igan, in 1873. Her death not noted. 

VI. Willard, born April 18, 1806; mar- 
ried Mary Witham Norton, Jan. 16, 1834. 
She died Aug. 26, 1861, leaving children. 
He died later, date not gisen. 

VII. Poll}-, born Feb. 12, 1808; married 
Benjamin Stevens Nov. 11, 1829; died in 
1878, leaving children. 

VIII. Dolly, born Jan. 7, 1810; married 
Rev. Robert Crossett of DennysviUe, Me., 
A'lgust 19, 1830. They removed from 
Dennj'sville to the West where they both 
died leaving children. 

IX. Samuel, born July 12, 1812; died 
July 25, 1812. 

Upon the marriage of the son Willard, 
he took his w ife to reside in the old house 
with his father, and upon the death of the 
father Willard continued to live in the old 
house until his death. The children of 
Willard and Mary V/. Fisher were, viz.: 

1. Edward Payson, born Fab, 8, 1836. 

2. Josiah, born June 14, 1837. 

3. Cynthia Hewins, born March 10, ISIO; 
died Feb. 11, 1858. 

4. Mary Augusta, born June 11, 1844. 

5. Stej^hen Norton, born June 28, 1845. 

6. Nancy Ellen, born May 27, 1847. 

7. William Harvey, born Feb. 18, 1852; 
died Sept. 15, 1873. 

8. Frederick Austin, born Jan. 29, 1853. 
Since the death of their jKirentH, Mary 

.\ugusta and Frederick Austin, neither of 
whom have been married, have made their 
home in the Fisher mansion. 

THE DEA. 8KTH HEWINS HOUSE 
and place were next to the Fisher place 
upon the same side of the road. It was a 
Htory-and-a-half house, built by Dea. 
Hewins about IbOO, now gone, and another 



house built upon its site by Jonathan 
Stover, the pre sent owner. 

Dea. Seth Hewins was born in Dedham, 
Ma.ss., Feb. 12, 1773; married Katherine 
Fisher, sister to Rev. Jonathan Fisher, 
Sept. 2, 1799. She was born March 27, 
1771; died Aug. 15, 1851. They came to 
Bine Hill in 1799, and here resided until 
their death, he dying May 9, 1844. 

He was chosen a deacon of the Bluehill 
Congregational church .March 17, 1808, in 
which capacity he acted for many years. 
At his death .May 19, 1844, we find the fol- 
lowing entry in the church records con- 
cerning his connection with the church: 

"Obituary— Dea. Seth Hewins, who be- 
came connected with this church May 30, 
1803, died May 19, 1814. Dea. Hewins was 
a man of wise temperament and regular in 
h's habits; his religicm was stable and 
consistent rather than brilliant and tluct- 
uatijig; his love to the means of grace in 
the regularity of his support and attend- 
ance, both of which were continued 
amidst many infirmities to the close of 
life. 

"For many years he discharged accept- 
ably and profitably the duties of deacon; 
from this however he was excused the 
last few years of his life on account of 
bodily infirmities. His end was peaceful 
rather than triumphant; his hope of ac- 
ceptance with Christ during life was 
checkered with doubts and expressed with 
caution, and the same was true when 
death drew near. We saw in him an 
illustration of the truth so often verified 
that men who were Christians ordinarily 
die as they lived. Yet none who 
knew him would doubt that he died the 
death of the righteous." 

Dea. Hewins and wife had four children 
born to them, all of whom preceded them 
to the spirit world. They were, viz.: 

1. Katherine, born Feb. '22, 1801; died 
Feb. 16, 1823. 

2. Seth, born Oct. 3, 1802; died May 
19, 1827. 

3. Cynthia, born Jan. 13, 1805; died 
June 28, 1835. 

4. Sukcy, born Dec. 18, 1807, died June 
21, 1836. 

After the death of Mr. and Mrs. Hewins 
the house and place became the projx^rty 
of Jonathan Stover, who took down the 
old house in the '70's and erected upon its 



66 



HISTOBICAL SKETCHES OF BLVEHILL, MAIKE. 



site the two-story house now standing. 

Mr. Stover is the son and third child of 
Isaac and Hannah (Door) Stover, born 
March 27, 1827, and married Eliza Ann 
Grindle, June 14, 1857. There is but one 
child entered in the Bluehill records, copy 
of which the writer has, and that is Ira 
W., born June 14, 1860. 

Westward of the Deacon Hewins 
place the next building was a 
schoolhouse located upon the corner 
of the road which branches from the 
main road and leading southward and 
along the east side of the First pond, so 
called. The first house and p ace along 
that road was that of Isaac Stover, in the 
boyhood of the writer. When the house 
was built is not known, but it was prob- 
ably before 1825. 

Isaac Stover was a native of Penobscot, 
born about 1800, married Hannah Door, 
and had, according to the Bluehill rec- 
ords, the following children: 

1. Melinda, born Sept. 25, 1822; mar- 
ried Joshua Parker Candage. 

2. Lydia, born Nov. 25, 1824 ; died May 
31, 1849. 

3. Jonathan, born May 27, 1827; mar- 
ried Eliza Ann Grindle. 

4. Rufus, born Sept. 9, 1829; married 
Selvina I. Gott, of Brooksville. 

5. Hannah, born July 10, 1831. 

6. George Emery, born May 6, 1834; 
married Nancy M. Lufkin, of Sedgwick. 

7. Sewell Watson, born Feb. 20, 1836; 
died Jan. 17, 1861. 

8. Sarah Susan, born 

9. Sarah Susan, born June 25, 1839; died 
July 23, 1864. 

10. Maria Theresa, born Jan. 22, 1842; 
married Seth K. Chase. 

Isaac Stover died March 15, 1875; the 
death of his wife is not noted. The house 
and place are still owned by members of 
the family. 

THE JEREMIAH M'iNTIRE HOUSE 

and place were situated next to the Stover 
place already described. Mr. Mclntire 
was not born at Bluehill, but came to it a 
young man, from what place the records 
do not state. He was published to Lydia 
Knowles, of Sedgwick, June 8, 1818, and 
certified June 27, of the same year. 
Whether he or someone else built the 
house in which he and his family resided 



in the boyhood of the writer, there is no 
data at hand for determining. 

The writer knew him in childhood, 
when he sometimes worked upon his 
father's farm, and also knew his children 
who were near his own age. His children, 
according to the record, were, viz.: 

1. AbL ail, born AprU 30, 1819, 

2. John Elliot, born March 9, 1821. 

3. Ingerson, born Dec. 11, 1822; married 
first Elizabeth M. Cousins; second, Mehit- 
able P. Varnum. 

4. Sarah, born March 4, 1825; died 
March 4, 1825. 

5. Deborah Knowles, born AprU 7, 1826. 

6. Freeman Knowles, born July 16, 
1828; married Lucy Ann Lufkin Nov. 8, 
1851. 

7. Nathan Tenney, born April 9, 1830. 

8. Sylvanus Byard, born April 24, 1833; 
died Jan. 17, 1854. 

9. Francis, born ; died Jan. 28, 
1851, aged about 16 years. 

Mrs. Lydia Knowles Mclntire died 
March 21, 1839, and Mr. Mclntire married 
Oct. 22, 1839, Sarah P. Eaton, but no chil- 
dren are recorded by the latter marriage, 
nor the deaths of Mr. and Mrs. Mclntire. 

Freeman Knowles Mclntire was a ship- 
mate of the writer in schooner Edward, of 
Blue Hill, during the season of 1846. At 
his golden wedding anniversary celebra- 
tion held at Blue Hill Nov. 8, 1901, the 
writer sent through the mail to him and 
wife congratulations. 

THE HATY R. BILLINGS HOUSE 

and place adjoined the last mentioned. 
Mr. Billings was from Sedgwick, but 
resided nearly all his life upon this place. 
Whether he built the house in which he 
lived is not known to the writer, but the 
supposition is that he did in the '30's of 
the last century. His publishment to 
Phebe Ann Friend, of Sedgwick, whom he 
married May 11, 1833, appears in the Blue 
Hill records, as also do tUe births of their 
children, who were as follows: 

1. Emily Augusta, born March 15, 1834; 
married David P. Friend, of Sedgwick. 

2. Albion Paris, born Aug. 8, 1835; lost 
at sea March, 1869, 

3. Harriet Ann, born Dec, 10, 1836; 
married Elbridge Aclar, of CharJestown. 

4. Isaac Pear, born July 1, 1838. 

5. John Kingman, born Jan, 7, 1840; 
died Nov. 6, 1872. 



HISTOniCAL SKETCHES OF BLUE HILL, MAINE. 



67 



6. James K. Polk, born March 29, 1841; 
died March 23, 1863. 

7. Mary Matilda, born Nov 21, 1844; 
married GeorKt' W. Cloufih, of VVoroeatcr, 
Mass. 

Mr. liillinsjs, licad of this family, was a 
farmer. He died March 5, 1872. 

RETURNING TO THE MAIN ROAD 

at the schoolhouse previously mentioned 
and goinjj westward therefrom, one came 
to the Douglass houses and places npon 
the left near the border of the Second 
pond, upon which stood two houses in the 
writer's boyhood occujjied by James and 
Sylvanus Douglass. When and by whom 
those houses were built, the writer has no 
means of knowing; he only remembers 
them as they were nearly seventy years 
ago. They are still standing. 

The first Douglass found recorded as a 
resident of the town was John, said to 
have been born Dec. 25, 1779, probably in 
that part of Sedgwick now Brooks ville. 
He married Mary Door, June 2, 1812. She 
was born May 14, 1793. Their children 
were: 

1. Achsah Ann, born Aug. 12, 1813. 

2. John, born April 26, 1815. 

3. David, born May 17, 1816. 

4. Barius, born Oct. 6, 1818. 

5. Robert, born Feb. 2, 1821. 

6. Sarah, born Feb. 22, 1825. 

7. Mary, born April 6, 1829. 

Then follows Isaac Douglass, born June 
17, 1784, who, it is recorded, married an- 
other Mary Door, June 14, 1813. She was 
born Feb. 8, 1789. They had seven children, 
as follows: 

1. Sabrina, born Oct. 22, 1814 ; died Sept. 
18, 1829. 

2. Mary, born Aug. 30, 1818. 

3. Sukey Horton, born Oct. 26, 1818. 

4. Natlian Tenney, born Jan. 3, 1820; 
died June 10, 1821. 

5. Joseph I'arker, born March 25, 1822. 

6. Seth, born April 6, 1825; died June 
10, 1825. 

7. Seth Hewins, born June, 1828. 

Just where these two families had their 
habitation the writer has no means of 
knowing for a certainty, but he presumes 
it was at the places or near them where 
James and Sylvanus lived in later j'ears. 
Just what relation they wore to the latter 
the writer can only venture the sugges- 



tion that they were uncles, m it is evident 
they were not parents. 

Sylvanus Douglass is recorded ai> having 
been born Jan. 5, 1807, and to have mar- 
ried Susan Limeburner, of Brooksville, 
Nov. 3, 1831. She was born Jan. 24, 1810. 
Her death is not recorded, but Mr. Doug- 
lass died Sept. 18, ISSO, aged seventy-three. 
They had two children, as follows: 

1. Ellen .Maria, born Sept. 19, 1836; died 
June 16, 1853. 

2. Soloman Thornton Qott, born April 
6, 1842; married Mira Gray. 

James Limeburner Douglass, supposed 
brother of Sylvanus, was born Oct. 13, 
1811; married, first, Exemy Thompson 
Blodgett, Nov. 21, 1833. She was born Dec. 
24, 1810. They had four children, as fol- 
lows: 

1. Caroline, born Jan. 30, 1835. 

2. James William, born March 26, 1837. 

3. Otis, born Jan 15, 1843. 

4. Mary Abby, born March 15, 1848. 
The mother of these children died June 

5, 1862, and Mr. Douglass married Else R. 
Harding, a widow with one child, Laura 
A. Harding, born April 16, 1851. Mr. 
Douglass died Dec. 13, 1865. 

THE MINING CRAZE. 

Sylvanus and James L. Douglass were 
industrious farmers, known to the people 
of the town as well as to the writer. Their 
farms and lands contiguous thereto con- 
tained the noted Blue Hill and other cop- 
per mines, where hundreds of thousands 
of dollars were expended and lost in the 
endeavor to work those mines successfully 
between the years 1870 and 1890. 

The land-owners who sold their hold- 
ings realized a handsome sum thereon, 
but all who put money into the mining 
enterprises expecting to realize a hand- 
some return were sadly disapjwiiited and 
lost their investments. One who knew 
that locality before the mining craze, 
were he now to return to it, would wit- 
ness a scene of desolation that would 
make him heartsick. 

The waste of money in this locality hao 
been prodigious, and without benefit to 
the town except in a small waj* incident- 
ally. Could the same amount have been 
given to the academj* and to the churches 
as endowments, it would have resulted 
in benefits, not only to this generation, 
but to those wbo shall come after it. 



€8 



HISTOEICAL SKETCHES OF BLUE HILL, MAINE. 



The activity and energy displayed in 
those enterprises caused a village to spring 
up in that locality, while the abandon- 
ment left it desolate and deserted and the 
landscape denuded of trees and foliage, 
sad to look upon. The fame of the Blue 
Hill copper mines was at one time wide 
spread, and the town was spoken of as 
being the richest in Hancock county. 
Alas! what a dream! and how many 
awoke from it to find that their hard- 
earned savings of a life-time had vanished 
while they dreamed and erected castles in 
the air that tumbled to the ground when 
the light of sober sense shone upon them 
and were shattered in pieces that could not 
be gathered up! Like the apples of Sodom, 
that investment seemed golden and in- 
viting, but at touch and taste the glitter 
turned to ashes. 

BENJAMIN CLOUGH. 

Upon the north side of the main road 
near to the intersection with it of the 
road branching to "the Kingdom", in the 
Douglass neighborhood, stood the house of 
Benjamin Clough, in the boyhood of the 
writer. His father's name was Benjamin, 
born Aug. 15, 1755, married Relief Wyman, 
March 12, 1788. She was born Sept. 16, 
1761, and died March 25, 1819. The date 
of his death is not recorded. He was sup- 
posed to be an older brother of Asa and 
John, who came from Haverhill, Mass., 
early in the settlement of Blue Hill. 

The children of Benjamin, sr., and Re- 
lief Wyman (Clough) were: 

1. Moody, born Oct. 4, 1789. 

2. Abigail "Wyman, born August 15, 
1792. 

3. Hannah, born August 16, 1793. 

4. Phe be, born July 16, 1795 ; died June 
26, 1827. 

5. Benjamin, born June 20, 1797; mar- 
ried Amy Knowles. 

6. Dorias, born July 5, 1800. 

7. Ezra, born August 5, 1803; died Jan. 
27, 1804. 

Benjamin, the fifth child of this family, 
who owned the house and place above de- 
scribed, married Amy Knowles, daughter 
of Samuel and Jane (Gray) Knowles, 
March 2, 1823. She was born June 28, 
1802; died April 29, 1880. He died Sept. 
13, 1873. Their children were:— 

1. Samuel Knowles, born Oct. 15, 1823; 
iost at sea. 



2. Job Nelson, born Dec. 15, 1825; mar- 
ried Mahala H. Dodge, of Sedgwick. 

3. Matthew Limeburner, born Feb. 25, 
1828. 

4. Lydia Jane, born Aug. 15, 1830; died 
Oct. 4, 1834. 

5. Phe be Maria, born Nov. 2, 1832. 

6. Jane Elizabeth, born August 15, 1835. 

7. Lyman Pearl Hall, born Jan. 23, 1838; 
married Adeline Grindle, of Penobscot. 

8. Sarah, born Feb. 26, 1840. 

9. Mary, born Dec. 20, 1842. 

When and by whom the house in which 
this family resided was built, the writer 
does not know, nor does he know where 
the father of Benjamin resided in the 
town. 

Beyond this house and the Douglass 
lots, on the north side of the road, where 
the outlet stream of the Fourth pond 
crosses, once stood a saw mill, a part of 
the dam, decaying timbers of the mill and 
a heap of saw dust were to be seen there 
in the writer's boyhood, but he does not 
know when or by whom the mill was 
built, although the indications were that 
it must have been about 1800. 

From the last- mentioned place the road 
turns to the southward and ascends a long 
hill about seven-eighths of a mile in length 
to the Sedgwick line. Upon that stretch 
of road were three or four houses upon 
the right and one on the left in the writ- 
er's boyhood, and there is about the same 
number at this writing. Those houses 
were then occupied by families by the 
name of Gray and Grindle, whose de- 
scendants probably still reside in them. 

This was the old road to Brooksville via 
Hutchinson's Ferry across the Bagaduce 
river, or via Walker's, around the head of 
the river, before the bridge was built low- 
er down, and the road via "the Kingdom" 
was opened and came into use. Many 
times the writer drove over it in former 
time upon his way to and from Brooks- 
ville on visits to relatives and friends. 

From the Sedgwick line on to the Ferry 
and to Walkerville very little change or 
improvement has taken place in the last 
sixty years; if there has been any it has 
been a retrograde one in the appearance of 
the buildings and farms, which have 
fallen into decay. The land, stripped of 
its forest trees, presents to the passer-by a 
rocky, barren soil, discouraging in aspect 



insTOItlCAL SKETCHES OF BLUE HILL, MAINE. 



09 



not only to the traveler but also to one 
who is fated tti till it and thereby \n\\n his 
livelihood and support of his family. 



BBTTLBEIS AND RK8IDENT8 UPON LONG 
I8LANL>, BLUE HILL BAY. 

The first building erected upon Long 
Island, so far as my record shows, was a 
Baw-niill on the east side, opposite Deep 
Cove, cuilt by James Candage and Eben- 
ezer Hinckley prior to 177(5. Twenty years 
later, about 179ti, James and David Carter, 
sons of James Carter, sr., went from their 
father's home on Blue Hill Neck to the 
Island, and settled near what is now 
known as the Sand, or Carter's Point, 
where they and their famili-js continued 
to reside, ind where James and David and 
their wives died and were buried. They 
each had large families, as was the rule in 
those days. 

James Carter, jr., was born at Damaris- 
cotta. Me., Oct. 31, 17&1, came to Blue Hill 
with his father's family in 1770 at the age 
of six years. He married, first, Hannah 
Bartlett, March 8, 1792. She died leaving 
one child, and he married, second, Mercy 
Cain, of Sedgwick, born Nov. 10, 1773, by 
whom there were twelve children. He 
died Nov. 4, 1834, aged seventy, and Mercy 
Lis widow, a number of years later. 

The children of this family by first wife 
were: 

1. David, born May 12, 1792; drowned 
Oct. 22. 1813. 

By second wife: 

2. James, born Dec. 7, 1794; drowned 
Oct. 22, 1813. 

3. John, born Jan. 11, 1796; died Sept. 
23, 1796. 

4. Charlotte, born July 27, 1797; mar- 
ried William Koamer. 

5. John Pearce, born April 28, 1799; 
married, first, Joanna Gott, 2nd 

6. Judith, born March 16, 1801; married 
John Trundy. 

7. Charity, born March 16, 1803; mar- 
ried Israel Canary. 

8. Amos, born June 3, 1805; married 
Martha Choate. 

9. Pamelia, born March 13, 1808; mar- 
ried Joshua Conary. 

10. Mercy, born March 1, 1810; married 
William Conary. 

11. Muses, born April 25, 1812; married 
Alariam Parker. 



12. Irene, born April 11, 1816; died July 
3, 181G. 

13. James, born Oct. 24, 1817; married 
Isabella Smith. 

In this family lived, and was brought 
up from childhood, Harriet Little, who 
married Ueorge K. Franks, April 8, 1841. 

David Carter, brother of James, jr., who 
settled upon Long Island in 1796, was born 
in Kiigecomb, .Me., July 24, 1768, married 
Abigail Cain, of Sedgwick, Oct. 17, 1791. 
Mr. Cirter died March 14, 1814, aged sev- 
enty-five years and eight months. Thore 
s no record of the death of Abigail Cain, 
his wife, at hand. The children by their 
marriage were: 

1. Joanna or Jenny, born Dec. 16, 1791; 
married David Gott, of Mt. Desert. 

2. Hannah, born Sept. 26, 179-1; married 
Joseph Gott; he was lost at sea. 

3. Mary, born Nov. 22, 1796; married 
Ebenezer Day. 

4. Samuel, born June 21, 1800; married 
Sally Curtis. 

5. Robert, born Jan. 9, 1803; married 
Melinda Candage. 

6. Abigail, born Jan. 1, 1805; married 
Merrill Dodge. 

7. David, born August 25, 1810; died 
Sept. 22, 1810. 

James and David Carter raised their own 
corn and grain, cattle, sheep and swine 
for use of their families, spun, wove and 
knit their clothing from the wool of their 
sheep, and lived within their own re- 
sources. They were industrious and 
worthy people and members of the Bap- 
tist church organized upon the Neck and 
taking in residents of Long Island. 

The writer well remembers them as com- 
ing to the tide-mill, owned by his fath="r, 
with grists of corn, barley, rye and wheat, 
to be ground. Their farms being on new- 
ly-cultivated ground, yielded them good 
crops of haj', cereals and vegetables, and 
the neighboring waters of the bay fur- 
nished an abundant supply of edible fiah 
for food. 

JOHN PEARCE CARTER 
son of James, jr., cleared a farm upon 
which he built his house, barn and out- 
building, a half or three-quarters of a 
mile north of his father's house, where 
his children were born and where 
he resided until his removal to Sedgwick. 
Ue was an indastrious and thrifty man, 



70 



HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF BLUE HILL, MAINE. 



who at one time owned the greater part 
of Long Island. He, like others of the 
Carter family, was of robust frame and 
constitution and possessed a remarkable 
retentive memory for historical data. He 
was born upon Long Island, April 26, 1799, 
married, first, Joanna Gott, March 11, 1820. 
She died, and he married again. He died 
at Sedgwick, in 1889, aged ninety years. 
His children were : 

1. John Pearce, jr., changed to Byron 
Pearce, born March 11, 1821, married Han- 
nah A. Carter, Feb. 1845; died Feb. 15, 
1852. 

2. Isabel H., born March 19, 1823; mar- 
ried Henry Dunham. 

3. Serena Q., born June 10, 1825. 

4. Julia Ann, born July 7, 1827. 

5. Charity, born June 3, 1829; married 
Capt. Sleeper, of Rockland, Me. 

6. David Q., born July 31, 1832, 

7. Abram B., born March 7, 1835. 

The house and buildings once situated 
upon the J ohn Pearce Carter lot no longer 
are standing. 

JAMES DAY, JR. 

At Deep Cove lived James Day, jr., who 
went thither from the Neck many years 
ago. He married Nancy \ate8, as else- 
where related, and had seven children, 
viz. : —James, Eliza, Melvina, Moses, 
William, Luther Roundy and Nancy 
Yates. The head of this family was 
drowned by the upsetting of his boat 
near the shore of Newbury Neck in Nov. 
1850, in his seventy-fifth year, and his 
widow died July 19, 1864, aged about 
eighty- six years. 

Favorite places for fishing for cod, hake 
and haddock, in Blue Hill Bay, sixty and 
seventy years ago, were at the Land Point 
on the Neck and at Deep Cove nearly op- 
posite on the shore of Long Island. The 
writer with others in boyhood often fished 
at Deep Cove, landed at Mr. Day's shore, 
gathered berries upon his and on adjoin- 
ing land, and retains clear and pleasant 
recollections of those occasions and of 
the families then residing in that vicinity. 
None of the houses and people of that 
period on the upper half of the island 
remain, and the mention of them even 
may be strange and new to the people of 
the present generation. 

MOBES FRIEND. 

Upon the crown of the island, between 
Deep Cove and the old mill site on the east 



side, was the farm and building of the 
late Moses Friend, to be seen clearly from 
the main land. Mr. Friend came to that 
place from Sedgwick, where he was born. 
He was a descendant of Benjamin Friend, 
sr., the first of the name to settle upon 
the Neck. 

Just how many years Mr. Friend resided 
on Long Island there is no data to de- 
termine, but it was for a number of years. 
The buildings he occupied have long 
since gone and the fields he mowed and 
cultivated have gone back to a state of 
nature, leaving little or nothing to remind 
one of their former existence. 
JOHN BARTLETT. 

Half a mile or so north of Deep Cove 
and the house of James Day, was the lot 
and house of John Bartlett, so well known 
to the writer "in days lang syne", but, 
like the others mentioned, long since 
deserted of habitation and of habitant. 

John Bartlett was born at Mt. Desert in 
the early years of 1800, married Mary Hale, 
of Sedgwick, July 27, 1826, and set up 
housekeeping upon Long Island. Their 
children were: 

1. Caroline Hale, bom Dec. 23, 1823, oufc 
of wedlock. 

2. George Gurley, born July 2, 1827; 
married Hamilton. 

3. Mary Ann, born Sept. 2, 1828; mar- 
ried William A. Hall. 

4. Frederick Augustus, born Oct. 21, 
1830; died July 15, 1848. 

5. Vienna, born May 1, 1833. 

6. John Bushrod, born Aug. 27, 1834; 
died May, 1866. 

7. Nancy Elizabeth, born June 30, 1836; 
died July 12, 1853. 

8. Hiram Hinckley, born Dec. 4, 1838. 

9. James Candage, born April 20, 1841. 

John Bartlett was a fisherman, and 
gained his livelihood in that business, 
with a little farming. In 1840 and 1841, he 
resided upon Outer Duck island which 
had but a single house upon it. Whem 
his wife was about to be confined with 
her last child she was brought to Blue Hill 
Falls to the house of the writer's grand- 
mother where the child was born and 
named James Candage Bartlett for the 
writer's grandfather. 

When Mr. and Mrs. Bartlett returned t<f 
Duck island, the writer accompanied them 
and spent two weeks with the family on 



HISTOIilCAL SKETCHES OF BLUEHILL. MAINE. 



71 



the island in tishing and in visiting little 
Duck island, Baker's island and its light- 
house, Qott's Island. Bass Harbor, etc. 
It was a new experience to the writer and 
In all his wandering about the world since 
then he has not forgotten it. 

The boy. James Candage Bartlett, grew 
to manhood, settled and married at Somcr- 
ville, Mass., where he still resides. John 
Bartlett, his father, died many years ago, 
the date not recorded. His mother died 
in Charlestown, Mass., at the house of a 
married daughter some years ago at near- 
ly ninety years of age. 

URIAH MARKS. 

A mile or so north of the house of John 
Bartlett on Long Island, stood, years ago, 
now gone, the house of Uriah Marks, son 
of Joseph Marks, whose wife was Melvina 
Day, daughter of James and Nancy Yates 
Day. 

Lpon the head or northern end of Long 
Island seventy years ago, was the farm, 
house and barn of Joseph Marks, who 
there resided manj' years, although at this 
writing but little evidence is seen that it 
was ever inhabited. The Marks and Bart- 
lett places were favorite resorts for berrj'- 
ing i)arties and for parties indulging in 
clambakes, fishing and other sports. 

Of the family of Joseph Marks there is 
no data at hand by which the writer can 
make a true record, but from memory he 
can speak of a son, Uriah, and a daughter. 
Thankful. The family came to Blue Hill 
and to Long Island from either Sedgwick 
or Penobscot, and there it would be 
natural to look for the family history. 

Joseph Marks' wife was Martha A. Bill- 
ings, who came from Sedgwick or Penob- 
scot. He died in April, 1855, and she in 
1872. They had nine cnildren, among 
whom were: Joseph, Abel B., Otis R., 
William, Caroline, Calorn B. 

THE CARTER FAMILY. 

Returning from the upper end of Long 
Island to the earliest settlement made by 
James and David Carter, we find located 
between the houses erected by them, the 
house of Robert Carter, the son of David 
and Abigail, who was born Jan. 9, 1803, 
and married Meliuda Candage, daughter 
of Joseph Candage, jr., Sept. 1, 1837. 

The house referred to in which he and 
his family resided was built shortly after 
his marriage, but has been gone from the 



spot many years. Robert Carter was 
blind, having been made so when a child 
by measles or some other disease incident 
to children. He was a kindly and well- 
informed man, possessing that remarkable 
memory so characteristic of his race, 
which enabled him to retain what was 
read or told to him. He died in 1867 at the 
age of si.xty-four. His children were: 

1. Vienna, born Dec. 1-4, 1839. 

2. Matilda, born May 5, 1816. 

3. Rose Eleanor, born Jan. 29, 1854. 

In the David Carter house (father of 
Robert), long since demolished, lived, 
after the death of the builder, Samuel, 
brother of Robert, and his family. He was 
born in 1800, married Sally Curtis, of 
Surry (Newbury Neck) by whom he had 
seven children. 

1. Abijah Sprague, born Nov. 21, 1830. 

2. Sarah, born Nov 3, 1832. 

3. Deborah, born July 4, 1836. 

4. Joanna, born March 4, 1839. 

5. Susan Emeline, born March 27, 1841. 

6. Abigail, born Feb. 11, 1843. 

7. Mary Jane, born June 2, 1845. 
Samuel Carter was a farmer, a man of 

good reputation, and a deacon of the 
Neck and Long Island Baptist church. 
The writer knew him and his family well, 
at the time he taught a winter school upon 
the island, but of his and his wife's later 
life and their deaths he knows nothing. 

In the youth of the writer, Samuel Cain, 
brother to the wives of James and David 
Carter, lived upon Long Island, but just 
where, it is now not easy to locate. He 
was a tall, thin man with sharp features 
and a prominent nose, and by the wags of 
the day, was called "the mosquito maker". 
When he made his appearance on the 
main land the word would be passed 
around with the caution "Look out for 
mosquitos, for Sam Cain has just brought 
a raft of them from Long Island." 

Mr. Cain has been dead many years — 
peace to his ashes -and though a very 
worthy man the story of his mosquito- 
making doubtless sticks to some people 
left who knew him besides the writer. 

James Carter, jr., lived upon his father's 
place on the island. He married and 
moved to Sedgwick, where he died at a 
good old age. 

JOSEPH OOTT. 

The next place t)elow Carter's Point, in 
the memory of the writer, was that of 



72 



HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF BLUE FULL, MAINE. 



Joseph Gott, who came from Mt. Desert, 
and married Hannah Carter, daughter of 
David and Abigail (Cain) Carter, Decem- 
ber 16, 1812, He was a farmer and fisher- 
man and was lost at sea about 1840, from 
the bowsprit of schooner "Mary Ann", 
Capt. Samuel Eaton, owned by John 
Cheever. He had children as foUows: 

1. Lemuel, born Oct. 23, 1813. 

2. Harriet, born Sept. 2, 1815. 

3. Mary, born May 9, 1818. 

4. Joseph, born Nov. 9, 1820. 

5. Sophia Carter, born Nov. 20, 1822. 

6. Martha, born May 29, 1825. 

7. David, born Oct. 25, 1827. 

David Gott, brother of Joseph, also lived 
on Long Island, probably at this place. 
He married Joanna Carter, a sister of his 
brother's wife, June 27, 1808. He was 
drowned July 7, 1814.- His family record 
Bhows that he had four children : 

1. Abigail, born Aug. 20, 1810; married 
Moses Friend. 

2. Joanna, born March 28, 1812; married 
Amos Gott, Brooksville. 

3. Hannah, born March 28, 1812; mar- 
ried Galen O. Marks, Brooksville. 

4. David, born March 23, 1814; died 
March 31, 1816. 

FRANCIS AND ISAAC GRANT. 
The next place and house was that of 
Francis Grant, who came from the Ken- 
nebec and married Mercy Gray, Sept. 2, 
1812. He gained his livelihood by farm- 
ing and fishing and the children were: 

1. Thomas, born Oct. 27, 1813. 

2. Moses, born Jan. 9, 1816. 

3. George Stevens, born Sept. 6, 1818. 

4. Lydia Gray, born July 24, 1822. 

5. Francis, born Feb. 26, 1824. 

6. Mercy, born July 3, 1827. 

Francis Grant died Feb. 17, 1873, aged 
eighty-five, and Mercy, his wife, in 1844. 

Isaac Grant and family, he a brother of 
Francis, from Bath, settled upon the 
island near his brother sometime previous 
to 1840. He was a ship's caulker by trade, 
caulked the ship Tahmaroo bui t at Blue 
Hill Falls in 1842, and other vessels built 
in the town. He and his family moved at 
a later date to Ellsworth, where his sons 
Isaac and George became vessel owners 
and active business men. The members of 
bis family are not given in the Blue Hill 
records. 



THE CHATTEAUS. 

Another family by the name of Kitfield 
resided for some years near the Grants, 
but there is no entry in the town records 
concerniag the family. Farther down the 
island shora lived three families by the 
name of Chatteau — Joshua, Charles and 
John who came th 3re from Deer Isle. They 
were fisherman, boatouilders and farmers. 
The record of family of Joshua is 
not found in the town books. 

Charl.7S Chatteau, (afterwards changed 
to Chatto) married Martha Eator, 
daughter of Jeremiah and Patty Eaton, ol 
Blue Hill Neck, Jan. 6, 1825. The births of 
his children as recorded were : 

1. Louisa, born Aug. 3, 1825; married 
George Closson Aug. 29, 1840. 

2. Almira Jane, born Feb. 21, 1828; died 
Nov. 25, 1829. 

3. Abigail, born May 6, 1829. 

Dates of deaths of Mr. and Mrs. Chat- 
teau are not recorded. 

In the boyhood of the writer, Charles 
Chatteau was master and owner of a pink- 
stern fishing vessel named "Credit". It 
was in the days when bounties were given 
to fishing vessels. The writer and other 
boys of his acquaintance made a fishing 
cruise with Capt. Chatteau among the 
outer islands— Swan's Island, Outer Long 
Islands, etc.— finding their own provisions 
and having half the fish they caught. They 
did not catch many fish but had a pleasant 
outing at what was called "bounty catch- 
ing" for the vessel. A year or two later 
the "Credit" was seized by the United 
States authorities for obtaining a bounty 
illegally; was condemned and sold. 
And the connundrum among the boys 
was, "Why cannot Charles Chatteau do 
any more business?" The answer was, 
"He has lost his Credit." 

John Chatteau married Hannah (Barks) 
Friend, widow of Daniel Friend, July 22, 
1829. She had by her first husband, Mr. 
Friend, three children as follows: 

1. Deborah Shacksford, born April 16, 
1823. 

2. Martha Dodge, born Nov. 10, 1824. 

3. Daniel B., born Dec. 28, 1826. 

and by Mr. Chatteau her second husband, 
as recorded : 

4. Hannah, born May 27, 1830. 

5. John Roundy, born Nov. 26, 1833. 

6. Stephen, born Dec. 13, 1835. 



mSTOniCAL SKETCHES OF BLUETTILL, MAINE. 



73 



The dates of deaths of Mr. and Mrs. 
Cbatteau are not given. 

AMOS CARTER. 

Farther down toward the extreme lower 
end of the island resided Amos Carter, son 
of James, jr., born upon the island June 
3, I8O0, married Martha Choite, by whom 
he had children, as follows: 

1. Joan Emeline, born March 11, 1830. 

2. Hannah Angeline, born March 11, 
1830. 

3. Mary Augusta, born May 13, 1832. 

4. Lavina 11., born Dec. 20, 1833. 

5. Martha Edna, born Feb. 13, 1837. 

6. Mercy Caroline, born Dec. 20, 1840. 

7. Amos Pierce, born Oct. 20, 1842. 

Mr. Carter died about 1844, and bis 
widow married Elder Samuel Macomber, a 
Baptist preacher, October 2, 1847. Moses 
Carter, a brother of Amos, lived on the 
lower end of the island. He married Olive 
iJovv Feb. 10, 1835, by whom he had chil- 
dren as follows: 

1. Rowland C. born Jan. 8, 1838. 

2. Nelson, born Dec. 25, 1841. 

3. Sarah D., born Aug. 10, 1843. 

4. Mary L., born Nov. 5, 1847. 

5. Byron P., born Feb. 18, 18»1. 

This family removed from the island 
many years ago and nothing further is 
recorded of it at Blue Hill. 

OTHER LONO ISLAND FAMILIES. 

Capt. Merrill Dodge, whose wife was 
Abigail Carter, a daughter of David Car- 
ter, lived on the island at the lower end, 
but later removed to the main land in the 
tide-mill district, where he lived and died. 
A history of him and his fa-iiily belong to 
that jiart of the town. 

Nathan Staples, whose wife was Sally, 
from Sedgwick, lived upon Long Island 
near the lower end. His family record is 
ad follows: Children: 

1. Elizabeth, born July 10, 1838. 

2. John, born Jan. 3, 1841. 

3. Nathan, born April 20, 1843. 

David Cain and family once lived here, 
but their family record 'm not found in the 
Blue Hill records. 

John Cain, brother of David, born Dec. 
.S, 1814; married Deborah Friend, daugh- 
ter of Daniel and Hiinnah (Hark) Friend, 
who had a large family of children aa fol- 
lows: 



1. Samuel Pearly, born Dec. 4, 18-15. 

2. John Warren, born Oct. 28, 1847. 

3. Hannah Maria, born May 18, 1819. 

4. Sabnna, born Dec. 5, 1852. 

5. Martha Ellen, born April 26, 1855. 

6. Harriet Ann, born , 1857; ^died 

Sept - , 18(i0. 

7. Newell Judson, born Oct. 11, 1859. 

8. Gleorge Elmer Ellsworth, born Oct. 1, 
1861. 

9. David Willis, born March 5, 1864. 
This family removed from Long Island 

to Surry. 

Samuel Cain, a brother of John and 
David, once lived on Long Island. He was 
a ship-caulker by trade, and he married 
Hannah Mclntire, by whom he had.chil- 
dren: 

1. Herbert, born April 16, 1844. 

2. Alice, born March 16, 1845. 

3. Arthur, born August 5, 18^16. 

4. Evelj-n, born Nov. 3, 1S49. 

5. A daughter, born April 23, 1855; died 
March 12, 1857. 

Upon removing from Long Island, 
Samuel Cain settled at Blue Hill village. 

James Fogg, from Freeport, settled upon 
Long Island sixty or more years ago. His 
wife was a Chatteau, sister of Charles, 
Joshua and John. He had a family of 
children, the eldest being Sarah, who mar- 
ried Pearly Cain, who lived in Brooklin. 
Mr. Fogg's house was on the east side of 
the lower end of the island. His family 
record is not found in tha copy of the 
town records in possession of the writer. 

Next to Mr. Fogg's place was that of 
Stephen Dunham, a half brother of the 
Chatteau's above named. His wife was a 
sister of Elipbalet Grindle. They had no 
children. 

Abel S. Town also lived on Long Island 
before and at the time of his marriage to 
Sarah R. Choate, youngest daughter of 
George Choate. 

One or more Conary lived at one time on 
Long Island, and in later days other 
families, unknown to the writer, have 
lived there. On the easterly side from 
Stephen Dunham's place to the head of 
the island there have hoen no houses, and 
only one, that of Moses Friend, on the 
central ridge. Along the ridge, from the 
u[)jH'r end to the Carter places and thence 
along to t'le lower end ran a rough and 
hard road. 



74 



HISTOBICAL SKETCHES OF BLUE RILL, MAINE. 



A granite quarry was opened at the 
lower end some years a»o, bat was eventu- 
ally abandoned and several mines were 
opened, but did not prove a success. 

At this writing, 1905, probably few, if 
any, of the descendants of the families 
named iji this paper are living on the 
island. In outline and physical appear- 
ance, except having been denuded of its 
forest trees, it remains much in the con- 
dition it presented to one who knew it 
sixty or seventy years ago. 

SETTIuEMEifT, ORDINATION AND PASTOH- 

ATE OF KEV. JONATHAN FISHER THE 

FIRST SETTLED MINISTER AT 

BLITE HILL. 

Jonathan Fisher was born at New 
Braintree, Mass., October 7, 1768, son of 
Jonathan and Catherine (Avery) Fisher. 
He entered Harvard college from Dedham, 
Mass., in 1788, rom which he graduated 
in 1792. He studied theology, and was 
licensed to preach at Brookline, Mass., 
by the Cambridge (Mass.) Association, 
October 1, 1793. 

In the spring of 1794, he preached four 
months at Blue Hill, returrsed to Cam- 
bridge, but accepted a call in the spring of 
1798 to become pastor of the Blue Hill 
church, and went thither in July of that 
year. 

The town had begun in 1792 the erection 
of its meeting house, and was carefully 
looking about for a pastor who vrould 
settle there. The town and parish in 
those days were one, so it is to the town 
records that one must turn to learn of the 
negofciations that took place, which re- 
sulted in the settlement of Mr. Fisher. 

At a meeting of the town held on Sep- 
tember 24, 1735, it was 

"Voted, That the town will settle a 
Minister. 

"Voted, That Mr. John Peters, Mr. 
Robert Parker and Col. Nathan Parker be 
a committee to apply to Mr. Jonathan 
Fisher and see if he will settle as a 
Minister to this town, and request his 
Conditions and report the same to this 
town on Monday, the 12th day of October 
next, at 2 o'clock in the afternoon." 

October 12, 1795, the town assembled, 
chose Ebenezer Floyd, moderator and 

"Voted, That Capt. Joseph Wood, jr., 
Mr. Phineas Osgood, Mr. Ebenezer Floyd, 



Mr. Robert Parker and Mr. John Roundy 
be a Committee to form proposals to be 
offered to Mr. Jonathan Fisher to settle in 
this town and lay the same before the citi- 
zens at their next meeting. Adjourned to 
Friday ths 16th inst., at 1 o'clock p. m., at 
the meeting house." 

October 16, 1795, 

"Voted, That the Church in this town be 
desired to appoint a Committee at their 
meeting on Tuesday next to wait upon Mr. 
Jonathan Fisher and make him the fol- 
lowing Proposals to settle in this town, 
viz: — 

"That the town will allow him one 
hundred and twenty pounds cash, or 
sixty pounds cash and baild him a barn 
forty by thirty feet as a settlement, and 
that thoy will also allow him Sixty pounds 
Salary and fall and Clear for him five 
acres of Jand yearly on the Minister's lot 
for ten years, and after th^ expiration of 
the said ten years they will allow him 
Eighty pounds yearly as a Salary during 
his services to this town as their Minister, 
and that he may absent himself from the 
Service of the Church five weeks in each 
and every year. 

"Voted, That Mr. Edward Carleton 
present the foregoing Propospals to the 
Church at their Meeting to be held on 
Tuesday next, to be by their Committee 
offered to Mr. Jonathan Fisher. 

"Voted, That Mr. Edward Carleton be 
requested to desire the Church in their 
directions to the Committee which they 
may appoint to wait upon Mr. Jonathan 
Fisher vrith the Proposals of this town to 
inform him tharj it is the opiaion of this 
town that an exchange can be made in the 
Minister's and Mr. Carleton's lots to his 
wishes, if he should see fit to settle with 
the town. 

"Voted, That this Meeting stand ad- 
journed to Friday next, then to meet at 
the Meeting house at 3 o'clock la the 
afternoon." 

October 22, 1795, the town met agreeable 
to adjournment, and proceeded as follows, 
viz: — 

"Voted, That this town accept Mr. 
Jonathan Fisher's answer of this day and 
agree to his proposed Settlement and 
Salary. 

"Voted, That the said answer be re- 
corded." 



HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF BLUEHILL, MAINE. 



75 



Blue Hill, Oct. 23, 1795. 
To the inhabitants of the town of Blue Hill. 

Gentlemen :— Having received your proposals 
for eettllnK In the Mtuli^try among you and 
having taken a view uf the lot of land reserved 
for the flrst Minister; the settlement an t salary 
appear to bo generous and i^qual to my expccla' 
tlons; considering the Infancy of the Country. 

In the Itmd I am somewhat dlrtappolnted, It 
l)i<lng much uf It broken, and containing but 
little timber. Considering this hint clreum- 
Btaiii-c, I hope the town will not be offjnded, nor 
think U unreasonable, U I request tliat the pro- 
postils t^tand as follows, viz ; 

That the town will allow him two hundred 
dollars cash and build him a barn forty by 
thirty feet of thirteen feet and a largo stud and 
dnUh It completely as a si:ttlement and that they 
will also allow him two hundred Dollars salary 
and cut ar.d haul lifteen cords of hard wood 
eight feet In length and fall and clear live acres 
of laud on the minister's lot yearly for ten 
years. 

That after the expiration of the said ten years, 
they will allow him two hundred and dfty Dol 
lars as Salary, and cut and hiul thirty cords of 
hard wood, eight feet In length, yearly, during 
his services to this town as their minister; that 
% full payment of the salary for each and every 
year bo made before 'he commencement of the 
year following; that he may absent himself 
from the services of the Church live weeks In 
each and every year and that In the case of llmo 
of sickness, he shall not be ol)llged to make It 
good; except the time exceeds four weeks 
yearly. 

If these proposals be agreeable to the town, 
they will be cheerfully accepted on my part, 
provided I can llnd my way dear to settle In 
this town on any conditions. 

I request your prayer to God for me, that he 
would direct and assist me. I can give you en> 
cuuragenient of my accepting your Invitation, 
Lutriquest the liberty of deferring a positive 
answer till after my arrival at the wet«tw.ird. 
Wishing grace, mercy and peace to attend you. 
1 am. Gentlemen, 

Your .Sorvant In Christ, 

JUNATUAN FlSHEK. 

"Voted, That Mr. John Roundy, Mr. 
Peter Parker and Mr. Jonathan Darling 
be requested to acquaint Mr. Jonathan 
P'ishcr that the town have accepted and 
aifrecd to his propjosed Setttlement and 
Salary, and that it ia their desire that he 
would come down for the purpose of set- 
tling by the first of May next, if conven- 
ient, if not, as soon after as convenient. 
This meeting was then dissolved." 



To Messrs. John Roundy, Peter Parker and 

Jonathan Darling. 

Gkntlemen : By a vote of the town at their 
meeting held by adjournment on Thursday the 
22 I Oi-t. 1711.'), you were re(|uc«ted to ac({ualnt 
Mr .lonaih.m Fltihcr that the town have ac- 
cepted and agreed to iho settlenncnt and Salary 
proposed by him this day In his answer to the 
tow:i's proposal of the 16th. 

You are nl>-o by a vole of said town def-Ircd to 
ac(iualnt Mr. Fisher that It Is their dchlre that 
he would come (toivn for the purpose of s^et- 
tllng by the first of May next If convenient. If 
not, us boon alter us coiivcnleui, 

Kui;n Flovu, Town Clerk. 

Hluc mil. ^Sd Oct, 17i»5. 

"Mr. Jonathan Fisher, having accepted 
the offsr of the town and agreed to settle 
as their Minister, the town are hereby no- 
tified thereof and that a Meeting will be 
held at the School house on Beeoh Hill on 
Monday, the 4th of January next, at one 
o'clock in the afternoon for the follow- 
ing parpo.se3, viz : 

"Ist. To choose a Moderator. 

"2d. To agree upon a method and the 
time when to chop down the trees for 
Mr. Fisher. 

"3d. To see what steps they will take 
witb regard to building a barn for Mr. 
Fisher. 

"4th. To see if they will take any steps 
with regard to ordaining Mr. Fisher. 

EUKN FXX)YD, 

Joseph Wood, Jr., 
Selectmen." 

Blue Hill, 16th Dec, 1795. 

Blue Hill, Monday, 4th January, 1796.— 
"Voted, Capt. Joseph Wood, Jr., Moder- 
ator. 

Voted, That there be ten acres chopp)ed 
down for Mr. Jonathan Fisher by the 10th 
day of May next. 

"Voted, That the Selectmen apportion 
to each High-way District in this town 
according to the lligh-way rate the last 
year, thL>ir several proportions for chop- 
ping down the said ten acres and send the 
same to the several Surveyors of Hi/ti. 
ways who with their Districts, or sucn 
part as are necessary, shall chop down tliw 
same as may be laid out bj* the Comiuitle»7 
to be appointed at this meeting for the 
purpose at the above time and the same to 
be deducted from their next year's High- 
way rate at 4j- per day 

"Voted, That Capt. Joseph Wood, Jr 



76 



HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF BLUE HILL, MAINE. 



Mr. Robert Parker and Mr. John Peters be 
a Committee to lay out the before- men- 
tioned ten acres, who are to be allowed the 
same wages while they are employed on 
that business as tiiose who chop down. 

"Voted, That the Barn to be built for 
Mr. Jonathan Fisher be put up at this 
meeting to the lowest bidder." 

The same was knocked off to Daniel 
Spofford who agreed to build the same for 
fl40. 

"Voted, That this meeting stand ad- 
journed to Saturday next, then to meet at 
the School House on Beech Hill at 1 
o'clock in the afternoon. 

Saturday, 9th January, 1796— The town 
having met according to adjournment:— 

"Voted, That Mr. Daniel Spofford be 
allowed one hundred and forty seven Dol- 
lars for building a Barn for Mr. Jonathan 
Fisher, at or before the first day of June 
1797, of the following dimensions, viz: — 
forty feet long, thirty feet wide and thir- 
teen and a half feet stud and finish the 
same complete. 

"Voted, That Mr. Daniel Spofford be 
paid fifty Dollars at or before the first day 
of June next towards building said Barn 
and that the remaining Ninety-seven Dol- 
lars shall be paid to him at or before the 
first day of June, 1797. 

"Voted, That the Town Treasurer give 
to Mr. Daniel Spofford and receive from 
him Bonds conformable to the foregoing 
votes." 

Blue Hill, April 4, 1796 -At a meeting of 
the town held this day it was 

"Voted, That Sixty- nine Dollars be 
granted for completing Mr. Jonathan 
Fisher's Settlement and Salary." 

Blue llill, Thursday, June 30, 1796— At a 
regular meeting of the town held this day 
it was 

"Voted, That the Ordination be held in 
Mr. Daniel Osgood's field above the mill 
yard. 

"Voted, That Mr. John Peters, Mr. 
Daniel Osgood, Mr. Robert Parker, Mr. 
Daniel Spofford and Phineas Osgood be a 
Committee to prepare for the Ordination 
in the Meeting house or open air as they 
shall think best. 

"Voted, That Seventy Dollars be 
assessed upon the town for paying Mr. 
Jonathan Fisher's Services previous to his 
being ordained and other town uses." 



Blue HUl, July 12th, 1796. "According 
to appointment convened this day at the 
house of Col. P.irker, a Council for the ex- 
press purpose of ordaining Mr. Johnson 
Fisher to the pastoral care of this Church. 
The Council is composed of Pastors and 
Delegates from the following Churchs: 

"The Church of Deer Isle, Rev. Peter 
Powers; Delegates, Thomas Stinson, Esq.; 
dea. Caleb Haskell. 

"The Church at Sedgwick, Rev. Daniel 
Merrill; Delegates, Messrs. Ebenezer 
Eaton, Solomon Billings, Amazy Dodge. 

"The Church at Penobscot, Rev. Jona. 
Powers; Delegates, Messrs. John and 
Thomas Wason." 

The Council, when convened, voted : 

"1st. That Rev. Peters Powers be Mod- 
erator of said Council. 

"2d. That Rev. Daniel Merrill be Scribe 
to said Council. 

"3d. After prayer being offered to Al- 
mighty God for his gracious presence, the 
Council proceeded to inquire into those 
matters which were necessary in order to a 
regular proceedure. 

"4th. Necessary matters being duly 
considered, the Council, on the 13th of 
July, 1796, voted to proceed to orfJain Mr. 
Jona Fisher to the pastoral care of the 
Church at Blue Hill. Not far from two 
on the clock P. M., Mr. Fisher was or- 
dained accordingly. 

Attest:- Daniel Merrill, 
Scribe to said Council. 

"True copy on file. 

Eben Floyd, Towm Clerk." 

At a meeting of the town held Nov. 6, 
1797, there was received from Rev. Jon- 
athan Fisher the following communica- 
tion: 

"Oct. 3, 1797. 

The subscriber makes the following pro- 
posals, viz. : 

1st. That instead of the five acres of land to 
be felled and cleared annually for seven succes- 
sive years, the Town raise and pay to the sub- 
scriber yearly before the 13th of July In each 
year the sum of Forty Dollars. 

"2d, That within the term of the said seven 
years the Town construct and complete a bridge 
over the Fore Falls, so called, upon the general 
principles of the plan presented by the sub- 
scriber last spring. 

These proposals being complied with on the 
part of the Town, the subscriber obligates him- 
self on his part, in addition to what he has al- 
ready oflfered, to pay annually to the Treasurer, 



HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF BLUEHILL: MAINE. 



77 



during seven years, one-half of satd sum of 
Forty DollarB, to be appropriated a part of the 
exi)en8e of eaUl brlilgc. 

That these propodald may be agreeable to the 
Town Is tbe desire of 

Gentlemen, 
Tour Slncero Friend, 

Jonathan Fisher." 

In reply to the above proposals the town 

"Voted, That Mr. Fisher be allowed 
thirty-live Dollars in lieu of chopping and 
clearing the next live acres for him. 

"Voted, That Mr. Ebenezer Floyd, 
John Peters and Capt. Joseph Wood, Jr., 
be a Committee to wait on Mr. Fisher with 
the above proposal. 

"Voted, That the Selectmen notify the 
Building a Bridge over the Forefalls and 
desire persons to bring in before tbe next 
annual meeting what they will build said 
Bridge for upon Mr. Fisher's plan, and 
the plan which has been presented to the 
Town, or any particular part thereof, and 
lay the same before the Town at their next 
annual meeting for their further consider- 
ation. 

"Voted, That the Committee appointed 
to wait upon Mr. Fisher present the 
thanks of the Town to him for his gener- 
ous offer towards building the Bridge over 
the Fore-Falls. 

"Voted, That if Mr. Fisher accepts the 
thirty-live Dollars voted to allow him, the 
Selectmen are to direct the labour appro- 
priated for chopping for him, to^chopping 
down on the School lot this fall." 

At the annual meeting of the town held 
April 3, 1798, another proposal from Mr. 
Fisher was read, as follows: 

March 19, 1798. 
To the Inhabitants of Blue Hill: 

The subscriber niiikesthe following proposals, 
viz: 

To ftcc<pt of thirty Dollars to be paid annu- 
ally by the 13th of July for clx ycurs enhiuhiK, 
after the pre-<fnt, In lieu of felllnK and clearlnfj 
Ave acre?- of land annually on hU lot, (or that 
term of tlinu. 

|{y «fr<pilii(? this proposal, or those pre- 
viously made, the Town wlU oblige their 
i^'rlend and Servant, 

JONATUAN FIHRER. 

After the reading of tbe communication, 
the town 

"Voted to accept the above proposal." 

At the annual meeting of the town held 
on April 1, 1799, it was 

"Voted, That the Selectmen confer 



with the Rev. Mr. Fisher reapecting the 
hauling his wood and see if he is willing 
to accept a commutation in lieu thereof 
and report the same to the Town at their 
next meeting." 

Mr. Fisher's reply to the Selectmen was 
in writing, read at the annual town meet- 
ing held April 9, 1800, as follows: 

llf.i'K UK, I,. Mnr-i. Sla» IflOO. 
To the Selectmen of the Town of Slue Hill: 

Gentlemen: Rospectlnx the commutation 
proposed In lieu of cutting and hauling my 
wood, I would observe that for myself I am 
fully conteoteil with the present mode.of getting 
It ; if there be a commutation to be permanent. I 
should not be willing to accept less than a 
Dollar for each cord to be hauled; If the Town 
prefer this, or setting It up at Vemtue, to tbe 
present mode, I will not object to cither. 
Yours, etc., 

Jonathan Fisher. 
After listening to the reading of Mr. 
Fisher's coiniua.ii.-uiioii luc io'.V:i 

"Voted, That the Rev. Jonathan Fisher 
be allowed one Dollar for each cord of 
wood which the town are obliged to cut 
and haul for him by agreement at his 
settlement. 

"V^oted, That fifteen Dollars be assessed 
upon the Town to pay the Rev. Jona. 
Fisher in lieu of cutting and ;hauling his 
wood." 

From the town records it appears that 
all matters relating to Mr. Fisher's settle- 
ment were carefully considered, and 
changes made in the terms thereafter 
were made after both parties had gone 
over them and mutually agreed about 
them. 

The records show that although Mr. 
Fisher was careful about his money 
matters, and he had need to be on the 
sums agreed upon, he was generous in his 
dealings with the town. His proposal in 
regard to a bridge across the Falls, shows 
that he was not only generous in his offer, 
but had the foresight to see that a bridge 
there was, and would be, a demand that 
some day would have to be heeded and 
met. He was a man interested in the 
progress and welfare of the town, in edu- 
cation, serving many years upon the school 
committee, and was more than any other 
person instrumental in founding the acad- 
emj- of the town in 1803. 

He was an industrious man, his house 
having been built from plans he drew, and 
much of the labor in its construction was 



18 



HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF BLUEBILL, MAINE. 



performed by his hands. It was his cus- 
tom to visit once a year at least every fam- 
ily in town, and jot down all births, mar- 
riages and deaths in a record he kept from 
the time of his settlement to the end of 
his pastorate over the church. His visits 
and journeys about the town and vicinity 
were usually made on foot, and 'tis 
said that he never wore an overcoat or 
under flannels in the severest of winter 
weather. He was known to walk to and 
from Bangor, when he attended the meet- 
ings of the theological seminary. But it 
was as pastor of the church that he dis- 
played great energy, tact and perseverence, 
sometimes even under what would have 
been serious hindrances and discourage- 
ments to other men. 

"When he was ordained the church had 
twenty-three members, and steadily grew 
in influence for the next ten years until 
the number had reached nearly a hnndred. 

In the beginning of 1803, Mr. Fisher 
noted in his record "That much exertion 
was made by the itinerant Methodists to 
introduce their peculiar tenents, much re- 
embling those of the Ancient Pelagians. 
Numbers flocked after them. The pastor 
felt it to be his duty to attend theu' meet- 
ings and publicly state what he believed 
to be the truth in opposition to error dis- 
semminated. The result was favorable 
beyond expectation, and the current 
towards the Methodists subsided." 

"After this, till near the close of 1804, the 
church was quiet except some trying 
cases of discipline, but in the close of 
this year it began to be manifest that the 
Eev. Mr. Merrill, of Sedgwick, was falling 
away to the Anti-Pedo Baptist senti- 
ments. This led the way to a divison of 
the church in Sedgwick and Blue Hill. 
Dec. 6th, 1804, one of the sisters of the 
church in Blue Hill requested a dismission 
from the church on account of being dis- 
satisfied with her baptism, which was the 
first instance of the kind that had occured 
in the place. It was agreed generally that 
dismission in such a case could not be 
granted. 

"March 14th, 1805, a Brother and Sister 
offered reasons and withdrew from the com- 
munion of the church; their reasons were 
that they considered baptism to be the 
only door of admission to the church and 
that immersion after believing is essential 
to baptism. During this year other 



Brothers and Sisters followed this ex- 
ample, until the number amounted to 21. 

"Feb. 13, 1808, Seventeen of those who 
had thus withdrawn were formed into a 
Baptist church, and after this generally 
held meetings by themselves. April 1st, 
1811, the whole number vi-hich had with- 
drawn themselves from the Pedo-Baptists 
and joined the Baptist church in Blue 
Hill previous to this date was forty-one; 
four of these after withdrawing returned." 

This left a membership to Mr. Fisher's 
church of thirteen males and twenty- 
eight females; total forty- one. 

"Several of those withdrawn to the 
Baptists have removed from the town, two 
of them have been ordained as Baptist 
ministers, men of good character but of 
small education." 

At the close of the year 1820, the number 
of members in Mr. Fisher's church was 
eighty-eight; residing out of town thir- 
teen, leaving the resident members at 
seventy-five. 

This was a trying time to Mr. Fisher, 
but notwithstanding what his thoughts 
might have been he never said an un- 
Chirstian word against those who went 
out from his communion to form the 
Baptist church of the town. On the con- 
trary, he has left on record his estimate of 
them as of being of good character. 

Mr. Fisher was of unblemished Chris- 
tian character, and he tried to carry his 
own standard into the church of which he 
was the honored pastor for so many years. 
The records of the church were written 
out by him, beginning August 11, 1796, 
and ending August 29, 1837, in full, and 
show how carefully he attended to every 
detail, and how, with unflinching recti- 
tude, he sought to correct the errors of err- 
ing members. In some particulars the 
record is too minute, and might well have 
been abridged to the benefit of the church 
and its membership, but that was not his 
way of dealing with facts. His way was 
to record all that took place in the church 
meetings in the plainest language, where 
matters of discipline were being consid- 
ered, whatever readers in after time might 
think or infer therefrom. 

He was just as particular to record any 
matter concerning himself or family that 
was called m question, as of matters per- 
taining to others. The writer, by way of 



HISTOniCAL SKETCHES OF BLUEHILL, MAINE. 



79 



illustration, quotes from the record as fol- 
io W!<: 

"March 25, 1830. The Brethren of the 
chun-h m.?t at the .Mcetiiitf house to make 
inciuiry concerning an alleged contradic- 
tion l)et\vecn Mr. and Mrs. Fisher on the 
subject of some cherry rum thrown awny 
between them. Mrs. Savage states that at 
the church fast, spcalcing about the difU- 
cultios in the church, she mentioned r.^- 
porls concerning cherry rum thrown away. 
Mr-^. Fisher said we had a d.-mijohn in the 
cellar. I brought it up and asked Mr. 
Fisher what I should do with it? He said, 
"what 1 was a mind to." I emptied it out. 
That she asked Mrs. Fisher if Mr. Fisher 
did not dig a hole and help her empty it. 
She said, "no, I emptied it myself. Mr. 
Fisher had no hand in it.' In this con- 
versation Mrs. F. said she had heard that 
she had been obliged to empty it. 

"Mrs. Edith Hinckley stated the same 
in substance more briefly. Dea. Seth 
Hewins stated that Mrs. Fisher had said 
to him that there was a story in circula- 
tion that Mr. F. made her empty the 
cherry rum, but she said the empting of 
it was a voluntary thing, but does not re- 
member whether she said she emptied it 
or Mr. F. 

"Mr. Israel Wood stated that in com- 
jjany of Mrs. Fisher he began to speak 
at out the rum that was turned out. That 
Mrs. Fisher took up the story and said he 
carried the rum out to the manure heap 
and dug a hole and buried it. 

"Mr. Nehemiah Hinckley stated that he 
(Mr. F.) came into his house from Bucks- 
port, that he asked him about destroying 
the cherry rum; that Mr. F. gave a rela- 
tion of pickling the plums, baying the 
rum and putting it into the demijohn, 
and of the fashion then of occasionally 
treating those who called. That they 
wanted the demijohn; that he carried it 
out to a chip manure heap, emptied it out 
and buried it up. Mr. Hinckley replied 
that there was a report that Mrs. Fisher 
emptied it. Mr. F. said it was a mistake; 
be did it. 

"Mrs. Fisher admits in substance the 
evidence respecting what she said; says 
she carried the demijohn out and began to 
empty it. That Mr. F. took it from her 
and carried it further. She says that in 
saying Mr. Fisher had no hand in it she 
meant he had no hand in forcing her to 



empty it, having heard that there was a 
story going round that he comoelled her." 
"Mr. Fisher made a statement in sub- 
stance as follows: That the cherry 
rum was grown into disuse, that they 
wanted the demijohn and that the con 
tents might not be a temptation to any- 
one, mutually concluded to throw it away ; 
that they were brought forward, that Mrs. 
Fisher, as he believes, carried the demi- 
john just out of the door and began to 
empty it, that he took it of her and car- 
ried it to a heap of chip manure, in the 
top of which he opened a hole, turned the 
contents of the vessel containing a quan- 
tity of choke cherries and )>erhaps two 
quarts of rum and water into the hole, 
and covered it up. That he carried the 
vessel out, meaning out from within doors, 
but recollected afterwards that he took it 
from near the door without. 

"The Church voted that Mrs. Fisher 
offer in public the following acknowledge- 
ment: 

"I, the subscriber, acknowledge that at a church 
fast a few months since, belnf? questioned con- 
cerning the turning out of tome cherry runa 
and Intending to convey the Idea that Mr. Fisher 
did not compel mo to do It, unintentionally 
( onveyed the Idea that Mr. Fisher did not do It 
I Imsclf. I confess that I have reasons to regret 
that from this mlsunderetundlng reports unfav- 
orable to the cause of religion have been put In 
circulation. I ask forgiveness of all whom I 
may have given occasion of offence, and pray 
that I m»y be more circumspect In the manner 
of speaking In time to come. 

Attest :—Jo.s. Fisher, Pastor. 

Mr. Fisher was so careful that he and 
his wUo should not only aDstuin irom 
evil, but from any appearance of it, that 
this tine point in ethics was considered in 
all its bearings and put upon record, while 
a like occurrence of to-day would be 
treated as of no consequence and not 
worthy of record or of investigation. 

No shepherd ever watched over his flock 
to see that they did not straj' from the 
fold into forbidden pastures with greater 
care than did Rev. Jonathan Fisher watch 
over and care for the members of his 
church at Blue Hill during his long pas- 
toral care over that body of Christian 
believers. 

How well the writer remembers him as 
pastor of the church, his seemingly aus- 
tere manner, his earnestness in his 
discourses, his prayer and the opening of 



80 



HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF BLUE HILL, MAINE. 



his eyes during the long prayer, as the 
children thought, to see if they were pay- 
ing attention and not taking an advantage 
of that period to shift about and indulge 
in play. 

How well, too, he remembers his re- 
proof to boys in the gallery, who did not 
give their attention to the sermon, but 
whispered or in other ways did not pay 
due respect to the Lord's house upon the 
Lord's Day services. And how he and 
other boys of that day sat and wondered 
what would be the consequences if the 
cord suspending the sounding board 
over the pulpit desk should part and the 
huge board should descend with a crash 
upon Father Fisher's bald head. 

Blue Hill owes a debt of gratitude to 
Rev. Jonathan Fisher for his pious ex- 
ample set before its people; for his un- 
flinching adherence to duty as a 
Christiaa minister, and the far-reaching 
and noble work he for forty-one years did 
in the service of the church, the town and 
for his Divine Master. 

Age and infirmities crept upon him, and 
the time came in 1837 when he thought he 
should rest from his pastoral labors, and 
he sent in his letter asking to be dismissed. 
A council was called and held October 24, 
1839, which dismissed Mr. Fisher, and he 
received the following certificate : 

"This 18 to certify to whom It may concern 
that by an Ecclesiastical Counci' convened in 
this place to-day the Pastoral relatlO'-s between 
the Rev. Jonathan Fisher and the C narreia- 
tional Church here to which he has lately min- 
istered, has been regularly dissolved, and that 
the Council in their results, which Is made out 
at length In connection with that which respects 
the ordination of his 8ucce-<sor, have testified to 
the unblemished and ministerial character of 
Mr. Fisher and their high esteem and love for 
him as a tried and failiiful Servant of the Lord. 

"Wherever he may be called in the ordinance 
of God to travel or to labor in the ministry in 
preaching the Gospel or administering its or- 
dinances, may the churches receive him cord- 
ially. By order of the Council. 

MiGHiLL Blood, Moderator. 

B. B. Beckwith, Scribe. 

On the day and by the same council that 
dismissed Mr. Fisher, Rev. Albert Cole, 
was ordained over the church at Blu*? Hill 
as Rev. Jonathan Fisher's successor. 

The council convened in the old meet- 
ing house, which was well filled with 
members of the church, delegates to the 



council and town's people, among whom 
was the writer. It was the first ordina- 
tion he had attended, and ceremonies 
were new, solemn and impressive. Mr. 
Fisher was there, and kept, or rather en- 
tered, the action of the council in the 
church records, his last act in that con- 
nection. 

The old meeting house was destroyed 
by fire the first Sunday in 1842 (January 2,) 
but no mention of that fact is found in 
the church records. The services of the 
church were thereafter held in the acad- 
emy building on Sundays, until the new 
church was built, finished and dedicated 
January 11, 1843. 

Rev. Jonathan Fisher attended church 
regularly, when health and the weather 
permitted, sometimes preached, and 
attended funerals of the older members of 
the church. 

On the Church records is the last entry 
concerning Rev. Jonathan Fisher as 
follows :- 

"Sept. 22, 1847. Rev. Jonathan Fisher. 
Born m New Braintree, Mass. Oct. 7, 1768. 
Died in Blue Hill Sept. 22, 1847, aged 79 
years wanting 15 days. In 1790 he made a 
public profession of religion and joined 
with the Church in Dedham, Mass. At a 
great sacrifice sought an education for the 
Gospel ministry. He was graduated at 
Harvard University July 18, 1792, here also, 
he persued his Theological Studies. He 
came to Blue Hill in 1794 and was ordained 
as the First Pastor of this church July 13, 
1796. The church at that time consisted 
of 23 members, all of whom passed into 
Eternity previous to their Pastor. 

"The last of them died a few weeks since 
at the age of 94 and Mr. Fisher officiated at 
his funeral. (Mr. Jedediah Holt). Mr, 
Fisher proved himself a self-denying, de- 
voted and highly useful minister of 
Christ; his doctrinal views were distinc- 
tively Calvanistic. The doctrines of the 
Bible were held by him with great 
tenacity, and defended with ability. He 
was fearless and unflinching in the 
avowal, exposition and enforcement of 
Eternal truths. It was enough for him to 
know that God had revealed it. 

"Few men have ever given to the people 
of their charge so much instruction in the 
various truths and duties of religion as 
he. His mind was richly stored with di- 



HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF BLUEHILL, MAINE. 



81 



vine knowledge, nor did he fail to bring 
out of God's Word and out of the treas- 
ures of his learning, things new and old. 

"He was dismissed from his pastoral 
charge on account of growing iurtrmilies 
of age, Oct. 2-1, 1837, having been Pastor 
of his flock a little more than forty-one 
years. His last sickness was short, only 
about 24 hours, and although his sufferings 
were extremely great in that time, his 
uiind was staid on Qod. He died as he had 
lived, a Christian. 

"Rest, Holy Man of God." 

His funeral sermon was preached by 
Rev. Stephen Thurston, who had known 
and appreciated his worth and Christian 
character for many years. 

At a church conference held Oct. 6, 1847, 
it was 

"Voted, That Rev. Stephen Thurston be 
requested to furnish a copy of the sermon 
preached at the funeral of the Rev. Jona- 
than Fisher for publication. 

"Voted, That the clerk make that re- 
quest in behalf of the church. 

"Attest:— Jos. P Thomas, Clerk." 

At the one hundredth celebration of the 
gathering of the church at Blue Hill, Rev. 
Stephen Thurston gave the historical ad- 
dress. 

"In the history of this church" said he 
on that occasion, "the fir&t pastor. Rev. 
Jonathan Fisher, stands out in high relief, 
aa the most distinguished and remarkable 
man ever connected with it, indeed as the 
most remarkable man in the town, and 
did more for its enlightenment and moral 
elevation than any other man. I should 
be surprised if there is an intelligent man 
in town who would dissent from this 
opinion; he was decidedly a man of mark. 

"Few, I am confident, have ever in- 
structed a people so fully and on such a 
variety of subjects. He seemed to have 
more comprehensive views of the fullness 
and richness of the word of God its 
erhaustless treasures of wisdom and grace 
— than most ministers, and he was skillful 
in developing those treasures and thus 
enriching the minds of his hearers." 

"For elevated moral principle and strict 
adherence to it in dailj- life, 1 know not 
the man, have never known him, who ex- 
celled the first pastor of this church. The 
love of right as he understood it was of 
supreme authority. He would no more 
intelligently and allowedly trample upon 



it, than with a mill-atone about bis neck 
he would cast himself into the sea. In- 
deed, I verily believe that he had the mar- 
tyr spirit and in other days would have 
gone to the stake lor a principle. 

"For the sick, the bereaved, the poor, 
the suffering of every kind, Mr. Fisher had 
a heart of sympathy and a hand for re- 
lief. He was liberal in his charities and 
a most unselfish man. While living on a 
salary of about three hundred dollars, I 
knew him to subscribe one hundred dol- 
lars for one charitable institution. A 
poor family lost their house by lire; he 
gave them several dollars in money. 
These were specimens which I happened 
to know about. 

"When he was dismissed from his jjas- 
toral care, this people were charged to 
deal kindly with him in his declining 
years, and when called to lay his lifel?s3 
remains in the grave, to erect over them a 
humble stone, to tell the passer-b', here 
lies the man who, for more than forty 
years, preached the everlasting gospel to 
this people. I rejoice to know that this 
charge has been regarded and that they 
have raised a respectable monument over 
his grave. In doing this they have hon- 
ored themselves no less than their ven- 
erated friend." 

Three and a half generations have 
passed away since Mr. Fisher was or- 
dained over the church at Blue Hill. He 
has rested in his grave in the town, with 
the graves of those near his to whom he 
ministered, for nearly sixty years, and few- 
there be that remember him in life, and 
yet one would lack perception who does 
not discern that his example and influence 
are yet a force in the community where 
he labored and brought forth fruitful 
results. 

The history of a town and of its people, 
should ever ha\-e interest for its citizens, 
and for all who are descended from those 
who shaped its course in education, re- 
ligion and in civic and social morality. 
Such history is a beacon light tnat points 
to wisdom's ways, and warns of dangers 
that may be encountered, while indicat- 
ing the way to avoid them. 

The town of Blue Hill was particularly 
fortunate in the character of its first set- 
tlers, in their regard for the welfare of 
themselves and their children in matters 
pertaining to their educational, moral and 



82 



HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF BLUE HILL, MAINE. 



religrions training, and in the early estab- 
lishment of church and schools. 

They were also particularly fortunate in 
their selection of one to be their first set- 
tled minister— Itev. Jonathan Fisher— 
whose example in honest moral worth 
and in Christian teaching were so helpful 
to the young community to which he was 
called. 



Let their story be often told, and be 
kept in perpetual remembrance; let their 
sacrifices and self-denials be themes for 
conversation and be celebrated in song 
for the edification and instruction of the 
present and future generations, and let 
their names be emblazoned upon the local 
rolls of fame. 



HISTORICAL SKSTCHES OF BLUETIILL, MAINE. 83 



ERRATA. 



Page 15-Azor Candage family, reads: "6, Mary Isabella, born Nov. 18, 1831 ;" should 
be Nov. 18, 1830. 

Paok 53-Bu9hrod W. Hinckley family, reads: "Francis Bernhard, bom Sept. 5, 
1831;" should be Frances Barnard, born Sept. 5, 1831. 

Page 54— Centennial Congregational church, reads: "a poem was read by Augustus 
Stevens, written by J. G. Harv.'y, of Portsmouth, N. H.," etc.; should be, a poem 
written and read by Augustus Stevens; lines were read, written by J. G. Harvey, of 
Portsmouth, N. H., etc. 

Page 57— Jonah Holt place, reads: "Capt. Peters, a native of the town, and son of 
Lemuel E. D. Peters," should be son of Lemuel Peters. 

Pages 59 and 60— Jeremiah T. Holt house and place, reads: "was a tavern called 
"Travellers' Home;" should be "Miiision House". 

Note -It is said that Jeremiah T. Holt did not keep the tavern, but it was kept 
after his death by his widow until she became an invalid. The house had ceased to be a 
tavern before 1851, when Thomas Jefferson Napoleon Holt brought his bride to it. 
Frederick A. Holt lived in the house after his marriage, and later it was rented to 
Mr. Kwer for some years, so that it ceased to be a tavern prior to 1851. Dr. Fulton 
boarded at the house with the Widow Holt when he first came to Bluehill, but 'tis said 
could not have brought his bride thera in 1819, as it had then ceased to be a tavern. The 
land on which tbe house stands was purchased by J. T. Holt in 1816, and the house was 
erected about that time. 

Julia Ann Holt died in 1858, not in 1853. Maud Mary Holt died Jan. 12, 1881. 
Thomas J. N. Holt died July 29, 1903. "Alice Annetta" Holt, should be "Alice Annette". 
Frederick Alexander Holt, born Feb. 1, 1820; died April 13, 1883. 

The Brick Block, it is stated, was built by Jonah Holt about 1835. This, it is stated, 
is not quite true, as it is claimed to hive been built by Jeremiah T. Holt, who died in 
1832, owning the block except the store occupied by Jonah Holt. The letters "J. T. H." 
made of iron are still on the front of the block. Jeremiah T. Holt kept a store and the 
postoffice in the block. His commission as postmaster is still in the family. 



DEC 19 ^906 



LEMr'07 



"^ 



